AVL Lodges International Patent Application for Vanadium Processing Circuit

Unique processing route under international patent application.

• Following a provisional patent application submission in 2021, AVL has progressed to filing a full international patent application to assist with the protection of intellectual property (IP) generated during the Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS).
• The IP applies to AVL’s processing circuit, which comprises an innovative combination of processes to maximise vanadium recovery.
• A distinctive feature of the patent application is the ability to economically recover vanadium from oxidised and transitional zones common to VTM deposits worldwide.
• The pyrometallurgy process utilises pelletisation and a grate-kiln for roasting, which has been shown to considerably improve vanadium extraction in comparison to conventional roasting.
• The hydrometallurgy process includes a washing stage to produce a clean iron titanium coproduct.
• A combination of nanofiltration and solvent extraction generates ultra-high purity vanadium for specialty applications.
• The patent application is recognised across 156 countries through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
• Work contributing to this patent application was partly funded by the Australian Government’s CRC-P grant.