Australian Miner Unleashes Tungsten Boom As Record Highs Reach 20 Million Per Ton
Larvotto Resources has made a significant breakthrough in its efforts to extract tungsten as a …
19. November 2025
Australian Miner Unleashes Tungsten Boom As Record Highs Reach 20 Million Per Ton
Larvotto Resources has made a significant breakthrough in its efforts to extract tungsten as a byproduct at its Hillgrove project in New South Wales, Australia. The company’s metallurgical test-work has delivered an impressive 90% tungsten recovery rate, paving the way for the production of a saleable tungsten concentrate alongside existing antimony and gold operations.
The latest development comes as no surprise, given the current market prices for tungsten, which have reached record highs in recent months. The extraction of this critical metal is becoming increasingly important, not only for its industrial applications but also for its use in electronics and renewable energy technologies.
Larvotto Resources’ managing director, Ron Heeks, has been instrumental in driving this initiative forward. “Whilst tungsten has historically been mined with antimony and gold at Hillgrove as it is usually present in the same veins, it has never been extracted in the process plant,” he explained. “However, given this year’s record-high tungsten prices, as well as the Hillgrove processing plant already containing a dedicated tungsten gravity circuit that was never utilised, we decided to investigate the viability of tungsten recovery as a byproduct alongside gold and antimony.”
The test-work conducted at Hillgrove has revealed that a simple and cost-effective processing circuit can be implemented to generate a marketable tungsten concentrate. This is achieved through the use of gravity separation, acid leaching, and other refinement techniques. Ongoing optimisation studies are currently underway to further enhance the process and boost recovery rates.
The potential for adding tungsten to the Hillgrove production schedule has significant implications for the project’s economics. With limited additional capital investment and low operating costs, Larvotto Resources is confident that it can generate a third high-value commodity from the site. This development could improve the overall project economics and add another revenue stream to the site.
The Hillgrove project already holds considerable potential, with a mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 8.77 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.05% tungsten trioxide (WO₃), containing a total of 4,774 tonnes (t) of WO₃. Most of this resource is attributed to the Brackins Spur and Clarks Gully areas.
However, Larvotto Resources has also identified additional tungsten potential within the wider Hillgrove field, highlighted by recent exploration at the Freehold prospect. Significant high-grade intercepts have been reported, including 0.6m grading 2.23% WO₃ from 76.7m in hole SLV004, and 0.5m at 3.43% WO₃ from 154.8m in SLV006.
Heeks emphasized that the company remains enthusiastic about the potential of adding tungsten to its production schedule at Hillgrove. “With recent drilling at Freehold confirming that all anomalous tungsten results are associated with antimony-gold mineralisation structures, we remain very confident in our ability to add tungsten to our existing operations,” he said.
The extraction of tungsten as a byproduct presents an exciting opportunity for Larvotto Resources to diversify its revenue streams and improve the overall economics of the Hillgrove project. As the global demand for critical metals continues to grow, projects like Hillgrove are becoming increasingly important in meeting these needs.
Larvotto Resources is well-positioned to deliver long-term value to its stakeholders, with a robust project economics and a dedicated team working towards extracting this critical metal as a byproduct alongside existing antimony and gold operations. With ongoing optimisation studies underway, the company is poised to capitalise on this development and drive growth and profitability at its flagship project.
The extraction of tungsten presents an exciting opportunity for Larvotto Resources to diversify its revenue streams and improve the overall economics of the Hillgrove project. As the global demand for critical metals continues to grow, projects like Hillgrove are becoming increasingly important in meeting these needs.
In the world of mining, companies must be proactive in responding to changing market conditions and opportunities. Larvotto Resources has demonstrated its commitment to this approach by exploring new opportunities for tungsten recovery at its Hillgrove project. With ongoing optimisation studies underway, the company is well-positioned to deliver long-term value to its stakeholders and drive growth and profitability.
The achievement of 90% tungsten recovery rate at Hillgrove presents a significant milestone in Larvotto Resources’ efforts to extract this critical metal as a byproduct. As the global demand for critical metals continues to grow, projects like Hillgrove are becoming increasingly important in meeting these needs.
Larvotto Resources is poised to capitalise on this development and deliver long-term value to its stakeholders, with a robust project economics and a dedicated team working towards extracting this critical metal as a byproduct alongside existing antimony and gold operations. With ongoing optimisation studies underway, the company is well-positioned to drive growth and profitability at its flagship project.
The extraction of tungsten as a byproduct presents an exciting opportunity for Larvotto Resources to diversify its revenue streams and improve the overall economics of the Hillgrove project. As the global demand for critical metals continues to grow, projects like Hillgrove are becoming increasingly important in meeting these needs.
In conclusion, Larvotto Resources’ achievement of 90% tungsten recovery rate at its Hillgrove project is a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to extract this critical metal as a byproduct. With ongoing optimisation studies underway, the potential for adding tungsten to the production schedule presents an exciting opportunity for long-term growth and profitability.
The current market prices for tungsten have reached record highs, making it increasingly important for companies like Larvotto Resources to capitalise on these opportunities. As the global demand for critical metals continues to grow, projects like Hillgrove are becoming increasingly important in meeting these needs.
Larvotto Resources is well-positioned to deliver long-term value to its stakeholders, with a robust project economics and a dedicated team working towards extracting this critical metal as a byproduct alongside existing antimony and gold operations. With ongoing optimisation studies underway, the company is poised to capitalise on this development and drive growth and profitability at its flagship project.
The extraction of tungsten presents an exciting opportunity for Larvotto Resources to diversify its revenue streams and improve the overall economics of the Hillgrove project. As the global demand for critical metals continues to grow, projects like Hillgrove are becoming increasingly important in meeting these needs.
In the world of mining, companies must be proactive in responding to changing market conditions and opportunities. Larvotto Resources has demonstrated its commitment to this approach by exploring new opportunities for tungsten recovery at its Hillgrove project. With ongoing optimisation studies underway, the company is well-positioned to deliver long-term value to its stakeholders and drive growth and profitability.
The achievement of 90% tungsten recovery rate at Hillgrove presents a significant milestone in Larvotto Resources’ efforts to extract this critical metal as a byproduct. As the global demand for critical metals continues to grow, projects like Hillgrove are becoming increasingly important in meeting these needs.
Larvotto Resources is poised to capitalise on this development and deliver long-term value to its stakeholders