Larvotto Unveils 90% Tungsten Recovery Boost at Hillgrove

Metallurgical Breakthrough at Hillgrove

Larvotto Resources Limited (ASX, LRV) has announced compelling metallurgical testwork results from its 100%-owned Hillgrove Antimony and Gold Project in New South Wales. The company achieved a remarkable 90% recovery rate of tungsten, coupled with a sixteen-fold increase in feed grade concentration. This development suggests that tungsten, historically present but never extracted at Hillgrove, could now be economically recovered as a valuable byproduct alongside gold and antimony.

Unlocking a Third Commodity

Hillgrove’s processing plant already includes a dedicated tungsten gravity circuit, previously unused. Larvotto’s recent testwork indicates that a straightforward and cost-effective processing circuit can produce a saleable tungsten concentrate. The company is optimistic that this will add a third high-value commodity to its production schedule with limited additional capital expenditure and low operating costs, thereby enhancing the project’s overall economics.

Ongoing Optimisation and Refinement

Further metallurgical optimisation is underway, focusing on refining flotation reagents and conditions to improve selectivity and reduce impurities such as silica, magnesium, and calcite. Collaborations with Independent Metallurgical Operations and Clariant Specialty Chemicals have yielded promising reagent combinations. Additionally, Larvotto has engaged gravity separation specialist Sepro to assist in developing a scalable tungsten recovery circuit. Acid-leach refinement testing is also in progress to enhance concentrate quality for export or downstream processing.

Resource and Exploration Highlights

The Hillgrove project contains a substantial tungsten mineral resource estimate of 4,774 tonnes of WO3 within an 8.77 million tonne resource at 0.05% WO3. Recent drilling at the Freehold prospect has returned high-grade tungsten intercepts, reinforcing the potential for expanding tungsten resources across the broader Hillgrove field. The mineralisation is structurally controlled and closely associated with gold and antimony veins, supporting integrated recovery strategies.

Strategic Implications

Managing Director Ron Heeks highlighted that the timing of this tungsten recovery breakthrough is fortuitous, coinciding with record-high tungsten prices. The ability to recover tungsten efficiently could significantly improve project cash flows and diversify Larvotto’s product offering. While commercial-scale implementation and further optimisation remain ongoing, these results mark a pivotal step toward unlocking additional value from the Hillgrove asset.