Critical Minerals Development Lab

Overview

IGO’s Critical Minerals Development Lab (CMDL) is a specialist facility progressing early-stage critical minerals opportunities through scientific research, test work and exploration of development pathways. With more than 25 years of operation, the lab has built deep technical expertise in biometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes, supporting metallurgical test work and early-stage development for complex and lower-grade mineral resources.

The CMDL is based in Perth, Western Australia, with particular strength in bioleaching and applied process development to support next-generation technologies needed for a clean energy future.

Research Programs

The CMDL’s research programs are designed to progress early-stage concepts into technically robust development options. The focus is on applied science – combining laboratory research, hydrometallurgical testing and scale-up insight.

Key areas of activity include:

• Bioleaching research and culture development to support metal extraction with a potentially lower environmental footprint.
• Hydrometallurgical test work for both early-stage and well-defined resources, including evaluation of alternative processing routes.
• Technology development and optimisation, focused on biometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processing technologies and their pathways to commercial application.

This work enables IGO to assess technical viability for biometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes early, reduce development risk and focus on opportunities with credible pathways to value creation.

Target Critical Minerals

The CMDL focuses on critical minerals that support electrification, decarbonisation and future-facing supply chains, aligned with IGO’s portfolio and strategic priorities.

The CMDL’s current focus is on copper, including low-grade and complex mineralisation, while retaining the flexibility to apply its capabilities to other minerals in future. The lab’s work is designed to support future development options for these commodities by improving recovery, lowering costs and reducing environmental footprint.

Case Study

BioHeap^® at Scale – Unlocking More Value from Nickel Ores at Forrestania

The Forrestania Nickel Operation in Western Australia faced a common industry challenge: how to economically process lower-grade and complex sulphide ores, including material containing arsenic.

The Challenge

While Forrestania’s high-grade nickel ore could be processed through conventional flotation, there were large volumes of lower-grade and more complex material that were harder to treat and risked being left behind. In particular, the presence of arsenic-bearing minerals made processing more difficult, impacting both recovery and product quality.

The Solution (2009–2018)

In 2009, Western Areas (acquired by IGO in 2022) attained and began testing BioHeap^® bacterial leaching technology specifically for use at Forrestania.

BioHeap uses naturally occurring microbes to break down sulphide minerals, helping release ore and separate it from unwanted elements like arsenic.

This work progressed from test programs into practical application at site, culminating in the construction of a bioleach (stirred tank) circuit at the Cosmic Boy processing plant, completed in 2018.

What It Was Used For

At Forrestania, BioHeap technology was applied to:

• Treat nickel sulphide concentrates containing arsenic
• Separate nickel from arsenic during processing
• Upgrade material that would otherwise be difficult to process

The bacteria-enabled process oxidised the sulphide minerals, allowing nickel to move into solution while limiting arsenic in the final product.

The Outcomes

The application of BioHeap at Forrestania delivered clear benefits:

• Higher nickel recoveries from complex ores
• Production of a high-grade nickel product (>45% Ni) suitable for downstream processing
• Creation of a nickel-rich solution (>20 g/L) with low arsenic content, improving product quality
• The ability to unlock additional value from lower-grade resources that were previously marginal

It also demonstrated that bioleaching could be successfully integrated alongside conventional processing, rather than replacing it entirely.

Why It Matters

The Forrestania case shows how BioHeap can extend the life and value of mining operations by:

• Making more of the resource economically recoverable
• Managing challenging elements like arsenic more effectively
• Providing a lower-intensity alternative to traditional high-energy processing
• Providing a circular economy by processing material which would otherwise go to tailings

While mining at Forrestania ceased in September 2024 after resource depletion, the successful application of BioHeap has positioned it as a proven technology for processing complex sulphide ores in future operations.