Cougar Metals NL provided an update on a test work programme currently being undertaken on an innovative hydrometallurgical extraction process for potential implementation at the Company's Pyke Hill Nickel Cobalt Laterite Project ("Pyke Hill") located east of Leonora in Western Australia. To date, Cougar has carried out an initial test work programme utilising historic reverse circulation ("RC") drill spoil taken from surface at Pyke Hill. Following a detailed review of this initial programme, it has been determined that a more detailed series of tests is warranted. As a result, a drilling programme is currently being designed to retrieve representative metallurgical scale samples from the high-grade nickel and cobalt zones of the Pyke Hill orebody for use in the next phase of test work. The hydrometallurgical extraction process was developed by Dr. Willer Pos, a former director of AngloGold Ashanti in Brazil who originally devised the process routes to extract metals from secondary sources. These processes have been adapted for the extraction of a range of metals from varying ore types, including nickel and cobalt from laterites. The hydrometallurgical process is yet to be fully optimised and currently utilises a short leach time (sub 30 minutes) conducted at atmospheric pressure and with no additional heat. A commercial operation with these parameters would result in a significantly lower capital expenditure requirement compared to current and other alternative processing routes.