#REE #Stock News- Defense Metals (TSX-V:
$DEFN.V; OTCQB: $DFMTF) Updated
Beneficiation Results Confirm the Production of a High Grade Flotation
Concentrate at High Recovery; @defensemetals
Vancouver,
British Columbia – October 10, 2023:
Investorideas.com
Newswire, -Mining/Metals/ Green Energy Stock news- Defense Metals
Corp. (“Defense Metals” or the “Company”)
(TSX-V:DEFN / OTCQB:DFMTF / FSE:35D) is extremely pleased to report the most recent results of the extensive comminution
and beneficiation test work that has been conducted by SGS Canada Inc. in
Lakefield, Ontario (“SGS”) on variability samples from the Wicheeda Rare
Earth deposit.
Read this news, featuring DEFN in full at: https://www.investorideas.com/news/2023/mining/10101DEFN-Beneficiation-Results.asp
Craig Taylor, CEO of Defense Metals, stated: “Our recent results
shows that the Wicheeda feedstock can be crushed, ground and floated to produce
a rare earth flotation product with similar or better recoveries and grades to
the top producers globally. Our project has many favorable conditions for
success: mineralogy, metallurgy, infrastructure, and community collaboration
further supporting a path to production.”
Beneficiation Results
·
A
total of 90 open-circuit flotation tests, using 1 or 2 kg of feed, were
conducted on seventeen individual variability samples, various composites and
blends. Considering all open-circuit
flotation tests, at a feed grade of 3% TREO (Total Rare Earth Oxide), the best
fit line indicated 80% recovery to a 45% TREO concentrate. Closed circuit
operations, as practised in flotation plants, can be expected to deliver higher
recovery and grade.
·
In
addition to the smaller-scale tests, 29 bulk flotation tests using 10 or 12 kg
charges were completed to both further optimize parameters and generate 16 kg
of 46% TREO content with a recovery of 78% for use as feed for
hydrometallurgical tests.
·
Very
favourable results were obtained in a locked cycle test on a deposit composite giving
a recovery rate of 85% of the rare earths at a concentrate grade of 50.7%
TREO.
The beneficiation tests
were aimed at confirming the reagent suite and operating parameters developed
in earlier testwork and in the 2020 flotation pilot plant operated on a 26t
bulk sample. The variability samples
responded well to the flowsheet and the selected reagent suite and operating
regimes (temperature, density). Details of the testwork are provided below.
Comminution Results
·
SMC
and Bond comminution tests were complete on all variability samples. The recent
work confirms, and significantly expands on, the data obtained during the 2020
pilot plant work.
·
The
data indicate that grinding energy will be relatively low, in particular in the
upper portions of the deposit when the softer dolomitic carbonatite (DC)
material, with a Bond ball mill work index of 9 kWh/t, is the majority of the potential
mill feed.
·
Autogenous
or semi-autogenous grinding system followed by a ball mill will be very
satisfactory for the Wicheeda comminution plant.
John Goode, Consulting Metallurgist to the
Company, commented: “SGS has performed a very thorough investigation of the
comminution and beneficiation characteristics of a wide variety of samples from
the Wicheeda deposit. The new results are close to those reported earlier and
used in previous studies. Grinding
energy requirements have been shown to be relatively low and flotation recovery
and concentrate grades are high and very favourable.”
Methodology
The three key rare earth-bearing
lithologies in the Wicheeda deposit are, (1) the higher-grade dolomite
carbonatite (“DC”) which makes up 73% of the deposit, (2) the xenolithic
carbonatite (“XE”) that represents 24% of the deposit, and (3) the
syenite (“SYN”). Based on its near surface location, the DC material is expected to comprise the
majority of the mill feed and the XE and
SYN lithologies deeper in the deposit mined later. The primary rare earths
minerals are monazite, bastnäsite and synchysite/parisite.
The comminution and beneficiation
tests were done at SGS by a team headed by Dr. Jing Liu, Senior Metallurgist.
Test material comprised a 260 kg Master Composite and seventeen variability
samples, each nominally 36 kg, prepared from drill core and representing the
three main lithologies in the Wicheeda deposit.
The variability samples were selected to cover the three dominant
lithologies, a range of grades (1.1% to 4.5% TREO), depths (7 m to 221 m
down-hole), and locations in the deposit, (for additional results on different
grades and lithologies please see news release dated October 11, 2022 and
February 14, 2023). Extensive mineralogy was completed on the
samples and test products to better define the deposit and process results.
A total of 90 open-circuit
flotation tests, using 1 or 2 kg of feed, were conducted on a DC composite,
xenolithic and syenite composites, the individual variability samples, the
Master Composite and various other composites and blends. At a feed grade of
3%, the best fit line indicates 80% recovery to a 45% TREO concentrate. Closed circuit operations, as in a flotation
plant, would deliver higher recovery and grade. The lower-grade XE and SYN material that are
expected to be encountered late in potential mine life delivered somewhat lower
concentrate grades and recoveries.
Three locked-cycle tests
were completed, with LCT-3 operated on 12 kg batches of a New Master Composite
made up from all variability samples blended according to the lithology
distribution. The flowsheet, illustrated in Figure 1, was operated over seven
cycles and showed good stability. The feed grade to LCT-3 was 2.9% TREO and the
concentrate assayed 50.7% TREO with a recovery of 85.4%.
Figure 1: LCT-3 Flowsheet
Comminution test work was completed by SGS using standard Bond
comminution tests and the SMC test which measures the competence of primary
grinding mill feed. The SMC results were
provided to JKTech for interpretation.
The Bond ball mill work indices were 9, 11, and 13 kWh/t for the DC, XE,
and SYN samples respectively. The SMC
report categorized the DC samples as being very soft and the XE samples as
medium.
Qualified Persons
The
scientific and technical information contained in this news release, as it
relates to the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element project, has been reviewed and
approved by John Goode, P. Eng., and Kris Raffle, P.Geo., a director of the
Company, both of whom are Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument
43-101 and Mr. Goode has provided the technical information relating to
metallurgy in this news release.
About the Wicheeda
Rare Earth Element Project
Defense Metals 100% owned, 6,759-hectare
(~16,702-acre) Wicheeda Project is located approximately 80 km northeast of the
city of Prince George, British Columbia; population 77,000. The Wicheeda deposit
is readily accessible by all-weather gravel roads and is near infrastructure,
including hydropower transmission lines and gas pipelines. The nearby Canadian
National Railway and major highways allow easy access to the deep-water port
facilities at Prince Rupert, the closest major North American port to Asia.
About
Defense Metals Corp.
Defense Metals Corp. is a mineral
exploration and development company focused on the development of its 100%
owned Wicheeda Rare Earth Element project located near Prince George, British
Columbia, Canada. Defense Metals Corp. trades in Canada under the symbol “DEFN”
on the TSX Venture Exchange, in the United States, under “DFMTF” on the OTCQB,
and in Germany on the Frankfurt Exchange under “35D”.
Defense Metals is a proud member of
Discovery Group. For more information please visit:
For
further information, please visit www.defensemetals.com or contact:
Todd Hanas, Bluesky
Corporate Communications Ltd.
Vice President, Investor
Relations
Tel: (778) 994 8072
Email: todd@blueskycorp.ca
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.
Cautionary
Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information
This
news release contains "forward–looking information or statements"
within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without
limitation, statements relating to completion of the PFS and the expected
timelines, advancing the Wicheeda REE Project, the technical, financial and
business prospects of the Company, its project and other matters. All
statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts,
that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are
forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations
expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable
assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and
actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking
statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions
regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which
the Company will operate in the future, including the price of rare earth
elements, the anticipated costs and expenditures, the ability to achieve its
goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material
adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on
reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views
with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and
assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the
interpretation of exploration and metallurgical results, risks related to the
inherent uncertainty of exploration and development and cost estimates, the
potential for unexpected costs and expenses and those other risks filed under
the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. While such estimates and
assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they
are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and
regulatory uncertainties and risks. Factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not
limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general
economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather and climate
conditions, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary government permits,
approvals and authorizations, failure to maintain community acceptance
(including First Nations), risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties
(including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with
specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of personnel,
materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of
government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and
unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters),
risks relating to inaccurate geological, metallurgical and engineering
assumptions, decrease in the price of rare earth elements, the impact of
Covid-19 or other viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate, an
inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of
the Company, including but not limited to, the effects of COVID-19 on the price
of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labour and
international travel and supply chains, loss of key employees, consultants, or
directors, increase in costs, delayed results, litigation, and failure of
counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not
undertake to update forward–looking statements or forward–looking information,
except as required by law.
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