VANCOUVER, Nov. 8, 2012 /CNW/ - Tasman Metals Ltd. ("Tasman" or the "Company") (TSXV:TSM; Frankfurt:T61;
NYSE-MKT:TAS). Mr Mark Saxon, President & CEO, is pleased to report on recent process
optimization results from expanded metallurgical testing at the
Company's 100% owned Norra Karr heavy rare earth element (REE) -
zirconium (Zr) project in Sweden. Test work was completed in Germany
by ANZAPLAN (DORFNER Analysenzentrum und Anlagenplanungsgesellschaft
mbH) a member of the DORFNER group of companies, Germany's leading
supplier of industrial minerals.
Highlights
-
High recovery of REE in a low mass during combined flotation - magnetic
separation tests, including 82.5% yttrium oxide (Y2O3) and 76.9% total rare earth oxide (TREO) recovered in only 25.2% of the
original mass;
-
High recovery of REE in magnetic separation tests on three major ore
types from Norra Karr;
-
Eudialyte confirmed as the only REE-bearing mineral present in more than
trace abundance in all ore types;
-
All major ore types shown to be mineralogically indistinguishable when
ground to 500 micron, suggesting geological variation across the ore
body is unlikely to affect processing behavior;
-
Flotation test work very successful in separating aegirine from
eudialyte using commercial reagent;
-
Low-iron nepheline/feldspar fraction identified as potential by-product;
"The effectiveness of the current optimization tests for combined
magnetic and flotation techniques by ANZAPLAN give us confidence that
further research will enable a high recovery - low mass mineral
concentrate to be produced from Norra Karr ore" said Mark Saxon,
Tasman's President and CEO. "Our metallurgical research is a continuous
process, with facilities in Europe and North America working to further
optimize the flow sheet. Data generated by ANZAPLAN will be a key part
of our upcoming Pre Feasibility Study and Pilot Plant tests."
Three bulk samples totaling approximately 1.2 tonnes were supplied to
ANZAPLAN, representing the two major (PGT, GTM) and one minor ore type
(GTC) that comprise the Norra Karr resource. Each sample was
composited from drill core collected across the deposit, and is
considered very representative. All previous metallurgical testing was
performed on blended material combining all ore types. Mineralogical
character and metallurgical behavior of each ore type was tested, to
constrain future processing considerations. Geochemical character of
each ore type based on drilling information is given in Table 1.
Table 1: Summary of Principal Ore Type Geochemistry from Average
Drilling Data
|
| TREO% | HREO/ TREO% | ZrO2% | Dy2O3 ppm | Y2O3 ppm | Tb2O3 ppm | Nd2O3 ppm |
PGT |
Pegmatitic Grennaite
|
0.614
|
54.7%
|
2.00
|
289
|
2300
|
42
|
662
|
GTM |
Migmatitic Grennite
|
0.490
|
45.0%
|
1.52
|
184
|
1506
|
27
|
563
|
GTC |
Grennaite
|
0.261
|
63.5%
|
1.33
|
152
|
1056
|
20
|
233
|
TREO (total rare earth oxide) = sum of La2O3, Ce2O3, Pr2O3, Nd2O3, Sm2O3,
Eu2O3, Gd2O3, Tb2O3, Dy2O3, Ho2O3, Er2O3, Tm2O3, Yb2O3, Lu2O3, Y2O3; HREO (heavy rare earth oxide) = sum of Eu2O3, Gd2O3, Tb2O3, Dy2O3, Ho2O3,
Er2O3, Tm2O3, Yb2O3, Lu2O3, Y2O3;
Most significant REO's by % are Y2O3, La2O3, Ce2O3, Nd2O3, Dy2O3
|
Mineralogy
Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA) was completed on 15 samples to
identify mineralogy and liberation trends at a range of grain sizes.
MLA demonstrated that once crushed to 500 micron (0.5 mm) or less,
based on the range and relative distribution of minerals present, all
three ore types are indistinguishable. The principal REE-bearing
mineral at Norra Karr is eudialyte in all ore types, which has a modal
abundance of 7.8% and 6.7% in the major ore types PTG and GTM
respectively (Figure 1). This simplicity and homogeneity of ore is
very encouraging, suggesting geological variation is unlikely to
significantly influence metallurgical processing.
Consistent with previous research is the very low abundance of
unidentified "other" minerals, at 2.4% or less, in all three ore
types. While most REE projects display a complex range of REE-bearing
minerals, REE's at Norra Karr are virtually entirely hosted by
eudialyte, minimizing complexity in the processing flow sheet.
Figure 1: Modal Mineralogy for Principal Ore Types
(http://files.newswire.ca/863/TasmanFig1.pdf)
As eudialyte is soft relative to other mineral phases in the rock, MLA
also highlighted that it reports with greater abundance in the finer
grind fractions. Additional sample from Norra Karr is now with
grinding equipment suppliers to test and optimize sizing behavior under
various grind conditions.
Mineral Concentrate Tests
A range of mineral concentrate preparation tests were run by ANZAPLAN,
based on the previously reported results achieved by the Geological
Survey of Finland (GTK) in 2011. The aim was to produce a mineral
concentrate containing most or all of the eudialyte (so achieving high
recovery), while discarding most of the un-mineralized gangue material
(so achieving low sample mass). Tests were run in parallel on the
different ore types, however no significant variation in results by ore
type were observed. While magnetic separation and flotation were the
focus of research, gravity, electrostatic and centrifuge methods were
also applied, each of which achieved only poor eudialyte separation.
Magnetic Separation
Due to the paramagnetic behavior of eudialyte, magnetic separation
performed very well under non-optimized conditions. Numerous tests
were completed which demonstrated the excellent magnetic extractability
of both eudialyte and a common iron-bearing mineral aegirine. Review of
external publications suggest aegirine is not soluble under the acid
conditions considered for hydrometallurgical processing of Norra Karr
ore, and shall therefore be inert in a REE-leach circuit. Example
recoveries achieved with single pass (not re-circulated) WHIMS (wet
high intensity magnetic separation) using the -100 micron fraction of
representative Nora Karr ore are provided in Table 2.
Tasman is now focused on further improving the eudialyte concentrate
quality by multiple stage magnetic separation and re-grinding methods
that were successfully tested by GTK in earlier bench scale tests.
Table 2: Recovery Associated With Magnetic Separation.
| Mass | TREO Recovery | ZrO2 Recovery | Fe2O3 Recovery |
-100/+20 micron fraction
|
53 %
|
97 %
|
71%
|
99 %
|
-20 micron fraction
|
23 %
|
80 %
|
41%
|
91 %
|
Flotation
Extensive flotation testing was also completed by ANZAPLAN. While
eudialyte does not appear amenable to efficient direct flotation, a
commercially available flotation reagent at near-neutral pH was shown
to be extremely effective in the selective removal of aegirine from
eudialyte.
Aegirine is three times more abundant than eudialyte in typical ore
samples, therefore its removal greatly reduces the mass of the magnetic
fraction. Non-optimized test results indicate that approximately two
thirds of the aegirine can be removed from the crushed sample prior to
magnetic separation at a TREO recovery of 88%. Removal of this material
prior to magnetic separation significantly improves quality of the
eudialyte concentrate, with only a small loss of REE.
Combined Flotation and Magnetic Separation
Furthermore, ANZAPLAN has tested various scenarios combining flotation
and magnetic separation. One such combination proved extremely
effective, where recovery for the total process was 82.2% of the yttrium oxide (Y2O3), 76.9% of the TREO and 49.7% ZrO2 in only 25.2% of the mineral mass. Recovery of other heavy REE's (Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu)
mirrors the recovery of Y2O3 in flotation and magnetic separation tests.
The relationship between flotation and magnetic separation, and the
impact on operating and capital costs is now the subject of ongoing
research. A concentrate sample produced by flotation and magnetic
separation has been supplied to a research partner for additional
hydrometallurgical leach testing.
Minor research was also carried out by ANZAPLAN on the by-product
materials. While significant work remains to be undertaken, the
feldspar/nepheline product removed as the "non-magnetic" fraction
during magnetic separation has a bulk chemistry and sufficiently low
iron content in line with the requirements of various European glass
industries.
Tasman's 100% owned Norra Karr project is the only NI 43-101 compliant
REE resource in mainland Europe. Norra Karr lies 15km NNE of the
township of Gränna and 300km SW of the capital Stockholm in mixed
forestry and farming land. The short time taken from discovery to ML
application demonstrates the efficiency and advantage of operating in a
jurisdiction with a strong and transparent Mining Act and a long term
association with resource industries. The project is proximal to road,
rail, power and operating ports, plus skilled personnel, minimizing the
need for offsite infrastructure to be built by the Company.
Norra Karr is one of the largest and most economically robust projects
amongst its peers, due to the high contribution of the high value
critical REE's (dysprosium (Dy), yttrium (Y), neodymium (Nd), terbium
(Tb)). Substantial capital and operating cost benefits are provided by
the existing infrastructure and the simple mineralogy that allows
ambient temperature and pressure processing. Norra Karr's proximity
and easy road access to European markets stands as a unique operating
advantage for the project.
About Tasman Metals Ltd.
Tasman Metals Ltd is a Canadian mineral exploration and development
company focused on Rare Earth Elements (REE's) in the European region
and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "TSM" and
the NYSE-MKT under the symbol "TAS". REE demand is increasing, due to
the metals' unique properties that make them essential for high
technology and environmentally-beneficial applications. Since over 95%
of REE supply is sourced from China, the European Union is actively
supporting policy to promote domestic supply of REE's, to ensure the
security of high-tech industry. Tasman's exploration portfolio is
uniquely placed, with the capacity to deliver "high-tech" metals from
politically stable, mining friendly jurisdictions with developed
infrastructure.
The Company's Norra Karr project in Sweden is one of the most
significant heavy REE resources in the world, and the only NI43-101
compliant REE resource in mainland Europe. The resource is unusually
low in radioactive metals relative to peer projects, with less than 15
ppm each of uranium and thorium.
For more information regarding rare earth elements, see the Rare Metal
Blog at http://proedgewire.com/rare-earth/ or Resource Stock Digest at http://strategicmetalstocks.resourcestockdigest.com
On behalf of the Board,
"Mark Saxon"
Mark Saxon, President & CEO
Samples associated with this test work were analyzed at the laboratory
of ANZAPLAN in Hirschau, Germany, an ISO 9001:2000 accredited facility,
where duplicates, repeats, blanks and known standards were inserted
according to standard industry practice. Tasman provided registered
standards produced from Norra Karr material as further QA/QC. The
qualified person for the Company's exploration projects, Mark Saxon,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Tasman and a Member of the
Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Australian
Institute of Geoscientists, has reviewed and verified the contents of
this release.
The TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that
term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange), the
American Stock Exchange or the Frankfurt Stock Exchange accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Concerning Mineral Resources and
Reserves. In this news release, the definition of "mineral resources" is that used by the Canadian securities administrators and conforms to
the definition utilized by CIM in the
"CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves - Definitions and
Guidelines" adopted on August 20, 2000 and amended December 11, 2005.
The standards employed in estimating the mineral resources referenced in
this news release differ significantly from the requirements of the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and the resource information reported may not be comparable to
similar information reported by United States companies. The term "resources" does not equate to "reserves" and normally may not be included in documents filed with the SEC. "Resources" are sometimes referred to as "mineralization" or "mineral deposits." While the terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, they are not
defined terms under standards in the United States and normally are not
permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with
the SEC. The terms "mineral reserve," "proven mineral reserve" and "probable mineral reserve" are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National
Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the CIM - CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and
Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as may be amended from
time to time by the CIM. These definitions differ from the definitions
in the United States Securities and Exchange Commission Industry Guide
7 ("SEC Industry Guide 7") under the Securities Act of 1933. Under Canadian rules, estimates of
inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or
prefeasibility studies, except in rare cases. Disclosure of "contained
ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian
regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report
mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as
in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.
The estimation of measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources
involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic
feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves. U.S.
investors are cautioned (i) not to assume that measured or indicated
resources will be converted into reserves and (ii) not to assume that
estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically or
legally minable, or will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral
resources. It cannot be assumed that the Company will identify any
viable mineral resources on its properties or that any mineral
reserves, if any, can be recovered profitably, if at all. As such,
information contained in this news release and the documents
incorporated by reference herein concerning descriptions of
mineralization and resources under Canadian standards may not be
comparable to similar information made public by United States
companies in SEC filings.
Cautionary Statements. Certain statements found in this release may constitute
forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect the
speaker's current views with respect to future events and financial
performance and include any statement that does not directly relate to
a current or historical fact. Such statements reflect the current
risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors
including, without limitations, competitive factors, general economic
conditions, customer relations, uncertainties related to the
availability and costs of financing, unexpected geological conditions,
success of future development initiatives, imprecision in resource
estimates, ability to obtain necessary permits and approvals,
relationships with vendors and strategic partners, the interest rate
environment, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality,
technological change, changes in industry practices, changes in world
metal markets, changes in equity markets, environmental and safety
risks, and one-time events. Should any one or more of these risks or
uncertainties materialize, or should any underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described
herein. Forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed and actual
results may vary materially due to the uncertainties and risks, known
and unknown, associated with such statements. Shareholders and other
readers should not place undue reliance on "forward-looking
statements," as such statements speak only as of the date of this
release.
PDF available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2012/11/08/20121108_C6164_DOC_EN_20342.pdf
SOURCE: Tasman Metals Ltd.
<p> <b>Investor Information</b><br/> <a href="http://www.tasmanmetals.com">www.tasmanmetals.com</a><br/> 1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7<br/> <b>Company Contact:</b> Mariana Bermudez +1 (604) 685 9316<br/> <b>Investor Information: </b>Jim Powell +1 (647) 226 8626<br/> Email: <a href="mailto:info@tasmanmetals.com">info@tasmanmetals.com</a> </p>