92 RESOURCES CORP. Successfully Completes Dense Media Separation Mini-‐Pilot Plant and Produces ~40 kg of 6.11% Li2O Spodumene Concentrate from Hidden Lake
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Trading Symbol: TSX.V: NTY OTCQB: RGDCF Frankfurt: R9G2 (WKN: A11575)
92 RESOURCES CORP.
Successfully Completes Dense Media Separation Mini-‐Pilot Plant and Produces ~40 kg of 6.11% Li2O Spodumene Concentrate from Hidden Lake
Vancouver, January 10, 2018 – 92 Resources Corp. (the “Company”) (TSX.v: NTY) (OTCQB: RGDCF) (FSE: R9G2) is pleased to provide an update on the metallurgical program for the Company’s wholly owned Hidden Lake Lithium Project (the “Project” or “Property”), Northwest Territories. The Property is situated within the central parts of the Yellowknife Lithium Pegmatite Belt, along Highway 4, approximately 40 km east of Yellowknife.
The Company is pleased to report that the recently announced (see news release dated December 5th, 2017) dense media separation (DMS) mini-‐pilot plant has been completed, with highly encouraging results. A total of ~400 kg of composited, whole rock pegmatite material from Hidden Lake (pegmatites HL1, HL3, HL4, and D12) was processed during the pilot, producing over 40 kg of high-‐grade spodumene(1) concentrate averaging 6.11% Li2O.
The DMS mini-‐pilot performed in line with expectations as indicated from the recent heavy liquid separation (HLS) test work, whereby high-‐grade concentrate with low lithium loss to the tailings fraction was demonstrated. The test work continues to support that a final overall concentrate grade of 6.0% to 6.5% Li2O at high recovery (80-‐85%) is achievable using low-‐cost and conventional processing techniques.
A comparison chart of the HLS vs DMS results is found below in Table 1, with Figure 1 a graphic illustration of the combined flotation and DMS flowsheet.
Table 1: Lithium HLS and DMS Grade (% Li2O) and Recoveries per Fraction
| Fraction | Heavy Liquid | Dense Media | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separation | Separation | ||||
| (HLS) | (DMS) | ||||
| Composite Feed Head Grade | 1.34% | 1.36% | |||
| Concentrate Grade | 6.29% | 6.11% | |||
| Concentrate Recovery | 56% | 49% | |||
| Middling + undersize (-‐0.85 mm) Recovery | 37% | 43% | |||
| Loss to Tailings | 7% | 8% |
The assays for tantalum from the various DMS product streams are pending. However, once received, the deportment of the Ta will be better understood and an approach for recovery further evaluated.
As a sufficient amount of the middling fraction is now available, batch flotation and locked cycle test work on the combined DMS middlings and undersize fraction (-‐0.85 mm) will be completed shortly. This will provide for a complete and demonstrated base flowsheet with overall grade and recovery for the Project. The flotation locked cycle testing will provide for more reliable data, as it effectively mimics, on a smaller scale, the recirculating streams of a flotation pilot plant operation.
The Company currently has two applicable flowsheet approaches for the recovery of lithium bearing minerals at Hidden Lake. The first, involves flotation only circuit, where bench scale test work has demonstrated high-‐grade spodumene(1) concentrate (>6% Li2O) at high overall recovery (±80-‐85%) is achievable. The second involves a combination of flotation and DMS, with work to date strongly indicating a similar grade and recovery profile as that of flotation only approach.
Although high-‐grade concentrates at high recovery may be achievable and cost-‐effective using only flotation, a combination of dense media separation (DMS) and flotation is often the preferred approach for spodumene recovery from pegmatite for a variety of reasons – typically more cost effective to operate, easier to control, have a shorter operational start-‐up period, as well as having overall less risk.
Target Flowsheet and DMS Mini-‐Pilot Plant
The base flowsheet being developed for the Project is comprised of a crushing and classification circuit with the -‐0.85 mm fraction set aside, and the +0.85 mm fraction processed by DMS. This produces three streams – concentrate, tailings, and a middlings. The middlings are then combined with the -‐0.85 mm fraction, set aside earlier, and processed by flotation, producing a second concentrate and tailings. The flotation concentrate is combined with the DMS concentrate to produce the final concentrate and overall recovery. This flowsheet is graphically presented below.
Whole Ore
Dense Media
-‐085 mm
Separa\on
Frachon (+0.85 mm frachon)
Concentrate Tailings Midlings
Flota\on
Concentrate Tailings
Final Concentrate Concentrate
Figure 1: Target flowsheet for the Hidden Lake Project
Whole rock channel samples, collected from the recently completed 2017 summer field program, were used as feed material for DMS pilot plant. The work is being completed as part of the Phase II beneficiation program, whereas Phase I targeted the characterization of the material. The highly encouraging results of the Phase II work to date are a direct result of the coarse-‐grained nature of the spodumene and its favourable liberation characteristics as indicated from the Phase I work.
All test work is being completed by SGS at their facility in Lakefield, ON, and is being monitored by Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd.
(1) Montebrasite, a common lithium phosphate mineral, forms a minor component of the spodumene concentrate. Lithium from both spodumene and montebrasite has been demonstrated extractable at high recoveries.
NI 43-‐101 Disclosure
Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P. Geol., of Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-‐101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.
About 92 Resources Corp.
92 Resources Corp is a modern energy solution company, focused on acquiring and advancing strategic and prospective modern energy related projects. The Company currently holds three principal assets in Canada: the Hidden Lake Lithium Property, NWT, the Corvette Lithium Property, QC, and the Golden Frac Sand Property, BC.
The Hidden Lake Lithium Property is strategically located within the heart of the Yellowknife Pegmatite District with 2016 exploration results returning 1.90% Li2O over 9 m and grab samples up to 3.3% Li2O. The Property is easily road accessible and its proximity to infrastructure provides for numerous development advantages.
The Corvette property consists of 76 claims, totalling 3,891 hectares, situated within the Guyer greenstone belt, which is also a favourable geological environment for gold occurrences. A summer 2017 due diligence site visit has returned samples of 3.48% and 7.32% lithium dioxide from spodumene-‐bearing pegmatite exposed at surface.
The Golden Frac Sand Property covers more than a 4 km length of the Mount Wilson Formation, which consists of high purity, white, quartzite and friable sandstones. It’s strategic location in western Canada and proximity to infrastructure, provides competitive access to the oil and gas markets where high-‐quality frac sand is an essentially input. The adjacent Moberly Silica Sand Mine, owned and operated by Heemskirk Canada Ltd., produces a number of high-‐purity products and as of February 2017, became subject to a takeover bid by Northern Silica Corporation valued at $42.3 million AUD.
For further information, please contact Adrian Lamoureux, President & CEO at Tel: 778-‐945-‐2950, E-‐mail: [email protected] or visit www.92resources.com.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors,
“ADRIAN LAMOUREUX”
Adrian Lamoureux, President & CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward Looking Statements:
Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, “forward-‐looking statements”. Forward-‐looking statements may be identified by words including “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “expects” and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-‐looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company’s future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-‐looking statements.