Commerce Resources Corp. Announces PhD Student Wins Competition for Environmental Work on the Ashram Deposit, Quebec
Commerce Resources Corp. Announces PhD Student Wins Competition
for Environmental Work on the Ashram Deposit, Quebec
December 5th, 2019 – Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXv: CCE, FSE: D7H0) (the “Company”
or “Commerce”) is pleased to announce that Sophie Costis, a PhD student with the Université du
Québec, has won the "défi de la recherche en géosciences" (Geoscience Research Challenge) for
her work related to the characterization of flotation tailings generated using the flowsheet for the
Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit in Quebec.
The competition was organized by "l'Association Québécoise des Sciences de la Terre"
(AQUEST) and consisted of candidates present ing their research projects in the field of
geosciences at the Quebec Mines + Energy conference held in Quebec City last month. Mme.
Costis won first prize for her oral presentation on Ashram and received a certificate of excellence
as well as a $2,000 scholarship for her efforts.
Company President Chris Grove states, “the Company is thrilled to see Sophie recognized for her
hard work on the project over the last few years. We are committed to advancing the Ashram
Project in an environmentally responsible manner and Sophie’s work will help build this
foundation through high-quality data gathering and analysis in a very important field.”
The PhD work is being jointly funded through a grant, totaling $300,000, from the Fonds de
recherche du Québec - Nature et technologie (FRQNT) and the Ministère de l’Énergie et des
Ressources naturelles (MERN) (see news release dated June 16, 2016). This work is being
completed in partnership with the Centre Eau Terre Environnement of the Institut national de la
recherche scientifique (INRS), a research-oriented branch of the Université du Québec, which has
considerable experience in environmental management and sustainability . The PhD project is
expected to conclude in late 2020 and will provide a sound basis for continued work on the tailings
management of the flotation process plant.
The work to date has been encouraging, with no “red flags” or serious concerns with the
management of the flotation tailings identified, and concluding that there is no acid generating
potential as well as strong indications of no metal leaching potential (see news release dated June
5, 2018).
In order to characterize the flotation tailings, a sound understanding of the potential contaminants,
their mobility, and their stabilization is required. This is first assessed through a series of
permeability and static tests (TCLP, SPLP, and CTEU) under conditions representative of a
northern Quebec environment (low temperature control room at laboratory installations). This test
work phase has now been completed with encouraging results in line with expectations. Follow -
up kinetic test work is now underway. In general, static tests are considered less representative of
real onsite conditions as they are more “aggressive” than kinetic tests, and therefore, the
encouraging indications of the static tests bodes well for the results of the kinetic tests.
Additionally, sequential extraction tests are planned which will further assess the potential
mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity of metals and therefore provide information on the metal
removal mechanisms.
NI 43-101 Disclosure
Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo ., Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a Permit holder with the
Ordre des Géologues du Québec and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101,
supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.
About Commerce Resources Corp.
Commerce Resources Corp. is an exploration and development company with a particular focus
on deposits of rare metals and rare earth elements. The Company is focused on the development
of its Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit in Quebec and the Upper Fir Tantalum-Niobium
Deposit in British Columbia.
For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.commerceresources.com or
email [email protected].
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP.
“Chris Grove”
Chris Grove
President and Director
Tel: 604.484.2700
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.commerceresources.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the
TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and
other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward -looking
statements. Forward looking statements in this press release include that , the sale of the fluorspar would reduce
the footprint of the Project’s tailings management facility as well as provide another revenue stream while also
serving as a source of secure supply for the marke t; and that additional infill drilling may be considered ahead of
a resource update, anticipated in 2020 ; . These forward -looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in
the forward -looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition
include changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming
work programs and reports produced on work done ; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change
with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited
test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be
comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful and even it tests are successful, the economic and
other outcomes may not be as expected; the availability of labour, equipmen t and markets for the products
produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on
our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged min e
can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company
assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as
required by law.