Update on Salazar critical minerals project

West Cobar Metals Limited (ASX: $WC1) is pleased to announce positive findings from the Newmont Ti benchmarking study at its Salazar critical minerals project in Western Australia. The study, conducted by titanium industry expert TZMI, identified Newmont as a standout from its peers in terms of Ti and TREO in-situ grade, supporting the validation of flowsheet for production of titanium minerals from Salazar.

Executive commentary on benchmarking study

We are encouraged by the findings of TZMI's benchmarking study showing that Newmont titanium and total rare earth oxide content stands out compared to major project peers. In addition to the high-grade scandium that Newmont contains, this confirmation of high in-situ grades of Ti and TREO gives us the confidence to proceed with the validation of the conceptual flowsheet, which shows Ti as a key product and hence revenue stream.

Summary of positive findings and outlook

The benchmarking study conducted by TZMI has provided highly encouraging results, positioning the Newmont deposit favorably amongst peer resources in terms of both Ti and rare earth element content. This supports West Cobar's plans to progress with the flowsheet development works investigating the potential to produce a high-grade titanium mineral product from the Salazar project. With the global titanium market forecasted to grow, the company's outlook appears promising. The Salazar Project, with its high-grade resources and potential for valuable co-products, presents a strong opportunity for West Cobar Metals to establish a significant presence in the critical minerals sector.