Aldoro Resources Limited says it has achieved a 98.96% strontium extraction rate during initial metallurgical testwork at its Kameelburg project in Namibia, with results indicating the deposit can be processed using relatively simple and low-cost methods.
The results, verified by ALS Metallurgy Services, were obtained from a 91.27kg composite sample of diamond drill core. The near-total recovery was achieved using a hydrochloric acid leach at ambient temperature of around 21°C within 120 minutes.
Unlike many global strontium deposits that require energy-intensive processing, Kameelburg’s mineralisation is hosted in ancylite, allowing the material to be dissolved directly in acid without the need for high pressure or extreme heat. This could significantly reduce future operating costs.
“Today’s metallurgical results are a defining moment for Aldoro. Achieving around 99% strontium extraction from a simple ambient-temperature acid leach, without elevated pressure, pre-concentration or complex reagents, tells us something fundamental: the Kameelburg mineralised system is not only world-class in scale, but genuinely amenable to low-complexity processing. This combination is rare in the current strategic resource environment,” said Aldoro chairperson Quinn Li.
In addition to strontium, the testwork delivered a 93.82% calcium extraction rate, further confirming the favourable characteristics of the project’s carbonatite host rock.
Following the results, the company said it will accelerate an update to its Mineral Resource Estimate to formally include strontium and iron content. Assay results from the final 10 holes of the Phase 2 drilling programme are still pending and are expected to further define the scale of the deposit.
“Most global strontium producers rely on conventional celestite ores requiring energy-intensive pyrometallurgical conversion to produce saleable strontium carbonate. Kameelburg’s ancylite mineralogy bypasses that entirely,” Li said.
The development comes amid volatility in the global strontium market, with strontium carbonate prices rising by about 150%, from N$19,800 (US$1,200) to more than N$52,447 (US$3,150) per tonne following supply disruptions in the Middle East.
Strontium is classified as a critical raw material by both the European Union and India due to its use in electronics, glass manufacturing and high-powered magnets. With roughly 70% of global reserves concentrated in China, Mexico and Iran, Aldoro said the Kameelburg project could offer an alternative supply source.
“The market for strontium is supply-constrained, geopolitically concentrated, and classified as critical by the EU and India. We believe Kameelburg is exceptionally well positioned to address that gap,” Li said.
