Mindoro's JV Partner Reports on Test Work Results for the Agata Nickel Laterite Project
Initial Results Confirm Excellent Leachability of the Agata Nickel Laterite
CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Oct 18, 2013) - Mindoro Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:MIO) (ASX:MDO) (FRANKFURT:WKN 906167) ("Mindoro", or "the Company") advises that its joint venture partner, TVI Pacific Inc. (TSX:TVI) (OTCQX:TVIPF), has provided the following update on the test work results for the Agata Nickel Laterite Project. The positive results of Beijing General Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (BGRIMM) pilot plant marks another key step forward for the Agata North project, located in the mining district of Agusan in northern Mindanao.
Mindoro currently has a 75% interest in the Agata Project and an option to acquire an additional 25% interest (see press release dated September 23, 2013). TVI is operator of the project and may earn 60% interest in the processing joint venture by producing a bankable feasibility study.
Highlights:
- Pilot scale testing of Agata laterite by BGRIMM is complete.
- Results confirm excellent leachability obtained during bench-scale testing.
- 93.5 - 94.5% Ni extraction obtained over the 2-stage leaching process.
- Favourable acid consumption in the range of 48-50 t acid/t Ni leached.
- Vendor testwork completed and all design parameters obtained for pre-leach thickener, Counter-Current Decantation and residue filtration design.
- 8,000 L Pregnant Leach Solution produced from BGRIMM leaching campaign and shipped to producer for offtaker evaluation.
- TVI's Philippine pilot plant commissioned and production of NHP to commence in the 2nd half of October 2013.
On June 5, 2013, Mindoro and TVI announced the positive results of the bench scale tests indicating that the Agata laterite is highly amenable to acid leaching. The next step was to then run a continuously operated pilot plant at BGRIMM's research facility in China, in order to test and obtain design data for feed screening/classification/thickening, primary and secondary leaching, counter-current decantation (CCDs), residue neutralization and residue filtration.
The BGRIMM pilot plant operation was conducted from May to July 2013 and the results are encouraging and in line with expectations as obtained from positive bench-scale test work.
Approximately 8,000L of the nickel-rich liquor from the BGRIMM pilot leaching plant was shipped to the Philippines for use as the feed stock to the joint venture purification and recovery pilot plant, established to produce a Nickel Hydroxide Product (NHP, containing about 50-53% Ni).
Some of this liquor was also tested at BGRIMM in a continuous pilot plant campaign configured to produce a Mixed Hydroxide Product (MHP) containing at least 36% Ni. This will allow the Agata JV to evaluate the process option of producing MHP compared to NHP.
Key outcomes:
- An overall nickel extraction of 93.5 - 94.5% may be consistently achieved at an acid consumption of 48-50 t acid/t Ni leached. This has been shown as a result of an extensive BGRIMM pilot plant campaign, in which 4,300 kg of feed material was leached.
- Leaching performance achieved is near identical to that obtained during the bench-scale test campaigns conducted at BGRIMM and the in-house facility in Manila.
- The 2-stage leaching process proposed is robust and yielded similar results for the variety of laterite types tested.
- The leaching pilot plant operation allowed determination of other circuit design data such as residence time, operating temperature, feed slurry density, etc.
- Vendor settling tests confirmed fast settling nature of the feed ore, and leach residue. Acceptable underflow density obtained means that the leach circuit can be operated at 35-40% solids and the Counter-Current Decantation (CCD) circuit can be designed to achieve 98-99% recovery of soluble Ni over 7 CCD stages. All design data for pre-leach and CCD thickener design has been obtained.
- Limestone and lime consumption were determined from the continuously operating pilot plant for the neutralization of the washed leach residue. Additionally, residence time and other design parameters were obtained.
- Vendor settling tests have confirmed the expectation that the filtration rate of the washed and neutralized leach residue is slow, but feasible to incorporate this unit operation in the full scale plant flowsheet. All data to allow the design of the residue filtration have been obtained.
- A Mixed Hydroxide Product (MHP) containing an average of 36% nickel was produced by treating the pregnant leach solution (PLS) with soda ash/caustic soda. It was shown that it is possible to produce an MHP containing >40% Ni, if a 2-stage precipitation circuit is used.
- 8,000L of the BGRIMM pilot plant PLS has been shipped to Philippines for processing at TVI's downstream metal purification and recovery pilot plant. A higher value Nickel Hydroxide Product (NHP) will be produced at this facility.
To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/905299.jpg.
Additional details of the BGRIMM pilot plant campaign are available with this release on Mindoro's website (www.mindoro.com) and SEDAR (www.sedar.com).
Mindoro and TVI Joint Ventures
Mindoro and TVI have signed four joint venture agreements, previously announced on October 1, 2012, relating to the Agata and Pan de Azucar mining projects located in the Philippines on the islands of Mindanao and Panay, respectively. The joint ventures present Mindoro with multiple growth opportunities for near-term and medium-term cash flow generating potential. Under the agreements, TVI has the ability to earn up to a 60% interest and will act as operator of the projects.
Mining Project Opportunities within the Agata Tenement
- near-term high iron (Fe) laterite direct shipping ore (DSO) operation
- near-term limestone DSO operation
- medium-term lime production facility
- medium-term nickel processing plant project
Prior extensive pre-feasibility and engineering works have been conducted on the Mindoro properties. These reports can be accessed on Mindoro's website at www.mindoro.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
An updated National Instrument 43-101 technical report on the Agata project was filed on April 10, 2013, and is available on SEDAR and on Mindoro's website.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Tony Climie, CEO
About Mindoro
Mindoro is a Tier 1 Issuer trading on the TSX Venture Exchange (MIO), Australian Securities Exchange (MDO) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (WKN 906167). Mindoro has a 75% interest and an option to acquire the remaining 25% in the Agata Nickel Project, Mindanao, and the Pan de Azucar Sulphur-Copper-Gold Project, Iloilo. TVI Pacific Inc. has the option to earn up to a 60% interest in these projects by meeting the earn-in requirements outlined in the June 24, 2013, release. Mindoro also holds a 20.8% stake in ASX listed Red Mountain Mining (ASX:RMX), which has a 100% direct and indirect interest in the Batangas gold and copper-gold projects.
Neither 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 release.
Tony Climie P.Geol., is the CEO of Mindoro Resources Ltd. and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Tony Climie consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on the information in the form and context in which it appears.
This release may contain forward-looking statements including management's assessments of future plans and operations, and expectations of future production. These statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the mining and exploration industry (e.g. operational risks in development, exploration and production; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty with respect to results of exploration, the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production and the uncertainty of the availability of capital). The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements except where required to do so by law.
Contact
Mindoro Resources Ltd. - Australia:
Clayton Northey
+61 3 9028 8187
ir@mindoro.com
Mindoro Resources Ltd. - Canada:
Penny Gould
+780.719.8895
ir@mindoro.com
www.mindoro.com
CHF Investor Relations
Jeanny So
+1 416 868 1079 ext. 225