Osmond Reports 50.2% ZrO2 Zircon Concentrate with 70% Recovery

Promising Early Metallurgical Results

Osmond Resources Limited (ASX: OSM) has announced encouraging preliminary mineral processing testwork outcomes from its Orión EU Critical Minerals Project, located in Andalucía, southern Spain. Conducted at SGS Lakefield in Canada, the testwork focused on conventional heavy mineral processing techniques widely used in the mineral sands industry. The results demonstrate strong liberation and recovery rates for key minerals zircon and monazite, underpinning the project's potential to produce high-value critical mineral concentrates.

The zircon concentrate achieved a grade of approximately 50.2% zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) with an impressive recovery rate of around 70% and liberation nearing 97.4%. These figures suggest that the ore is highly amenable to gravity and magnetic separation methods, with further optimisation expected to push zircon grades to a premium level of 66% ZrO2 or higher, as targeted in the upcoming Scoping Study.

Rare Earth Potential in Monazite Concentrates

Monazite, a rare earth element-bearing mineral, also showed strong promise. Initial flotation tests on the fine (-38 micron) fraction of monazite yielded a concentrate with approximately 19.4% total rare earth oxides (TREO), excluding yttrium, and a recovery rate of about 76%. This represents a roughly 20-fold enrichment from the original sample grade. Osmond anticipates further improvements in both concentrate grade and overall recovery by incorporating coarser monazite fractions from the +38 micron stream, potentially aligning net recoveries with those of established global hard rock producers.

Titanium Mineral Processing and Next Steps

While zircon and monazite results are already compelling, titanium mineral testwork, targeting rutile and ilmenite, remains underway, with preliminary results expected in the second quarter of 2026. Osmond is initially focusing on producing a mixed titanium concentrate with a high rutile content, with plans to explore further upgrading options.

To support the next phase of development, the company is about to commence large-scale continuous beneficiation testwork on a five-tonne bulk sample. This will provide critical data to refine processing flowsheets and support the Scoping Study scheduled for the second half of 2026. The study will be managed by Wood Australia and aims to balance high-value product output with competitive overall mineral recoveries.

Strategic Importance and Project Outlook

The Orión Project benefits from strong EU regulatory support for sourcing critical minerals domestically, reducing reliance on imports. Osmond’s progress in demonstrating conventional processing amenability and promising concentrate grades positions the project well within the strategic landscape. The company controls an 80% interest in the project area, which hosts multiple mineralised quartzite layers enriched in zircon, monazite, and titanium minerals.

While the testwork results are preliminary and based on bulk samples without crush size optimisation, they provide a solid foundation for advancing the project. Osmond’s next steps include optimising processing methods, completing the Scoping Study, and delivering titanium mineral results, all of which will be closely watched by investors and industry observers.