Stria Validates Its Pontax Lithium Mineralization as Feedstock for a Novel, Low-Cost, Environmentally Sustainable Chlorination-based Pilot Plant Process
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct 20, 2014) - Stria Lithium Inc. (TSX VENTURE:SRA) ("Stria" or the "Company") is pleased to report the completion of a dense media separation study ("DMS") demonstrating the mineralogical quality of spodumene mineralization from its wholly-owned Pontax Lithium Project in the James Bay Region of Northern Quebec.
The mineralization will be used to feed Stria's pilot plant using novel technologies for purification purposes. Pilot plant operations are scheduled for early 2015.
In April 2014, Stria conducted a surface sampling program at its Pontax property to collect 100kg of spodumene mineralization. The aim of the program was to demonstrate the mineralization was amenable to conventional processing techniques and; to validate that spodumene concentrate could be used with conventional DMS or gravity separation techniques to feed the proposed pilot plant.
Mineralogical and metallurgical testing was undertaken by SGS Canada at their Lakefield, Ontario facilities. It included sample preparation, head sample analysis, mineralogical analysis, heavy liquid separation ("HLS") tests and the grindability characterization. Upon completion of the gravity separation tests, dense media separation and magnetic separation were conducted to improve the grade and recovery of the spodumene.
SGS reported that conventional HLS processes indicated the Pontax mineralization can generate an initial spodumene concentrate recovery of 53.9% Li grading at 6.03% Li2O. With fine portions added, the total spodumene concentrate is capable of achieving 94.9% Li purity.
Work continues at SGS using a small parallel flotation circuit to upgrade the middlings and to improve overall recoveries and lithium purity. HLS testing also demonstrated it was possible to reject 61% of the original mass as mainly silicate gangue with a resulting Li loss of only 5.1% of that mass.
"We are very pleased with these metallurgical test results," said Stria President and Chief Operating Officer Julien Davy. "They confirm our Pontax spodumene mineralization is a viable feedstock for a planned 2015 pilot plant.
"Our next milestone will be to demonstrate our proprietary technologies - as we designed them - are capable of producing high grade Li-metal, Li-carbonate or Li-hydroxide products with significant economies realized within a low chemical consumption environment," said Mr. Davy.
"The greatest cost in producing lithium compounds and products are attached to processing and purification. Stria's business model holds a 'technology-first' bias aimed at building a disruptive, competitive advantage into both our spodumene and brine operations," Mr. Davy added.
About Stria Lithium Inc.
Stria Lithium (TSX VENTURE:SRA) owns the Pontax spodumene lithium property in Northern Quebec and the Willcox brine lithium property in southeastern Arizona. As announced in January 2014, Stria is developing proprietary, in-house processing technologies for both projects with the purpose of reducing processing costs on an environmentally sustainable basis.
Stria's technologies, based on recovering lithium metal directly from mineralization and from brine liquids, will be more efficient, will require fewer controls, less chemistry and require less energy from compact facilities designed to enable easy automation.
Qualified Person: This news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Julien Davy, P.Geo., M.Sc., MBA, President and COO of Stria and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 Guidelines.
Forward Looking Statement - Disclaimer
This news release may contain forward-looking statements, being statements which are not historical facts, and discussions of future plans and objectives. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove accurate. Such statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those anticipated or projected. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are in our documents filed from time to time with the TSX Venture Exchange and provincial securities regulators, most of which are available at www.sedar.com.
