THUNDER BAY, ON--(Marketwired - April 06, 2017)
- Zenyatta Ventures Ltd. ("Zenyatta" or
"Company") (TSX VENTURE: ZEN) (OTCQX: ZENYF) is pleased to
announce successful initial test results from research carried out
by Dr. Alan Dalton at the University of Sussex, UK ("Sussex") using
graphene converted from the Company's high-purity graphite. Sussex
tested the use of Zenyatta graphene in rubber composite and
emulsion applications.
Rubber Composite
Applications
Sussex easily exfoliated
Zenyatta graphite via sonication to produce graphene which was then
homogenously dispersed into a rubber composite. A several fold
improvement in the electrical and thermal properties of the rubber
composite along with increased strength and elasticity was realized
by adding as little as 0.5% Zenyatta graphene. Sussex researchers
have turned to nano-materials like graphene to develop high
performance rubber composite sensors. The resulting material
demonstrated impressive performance as sensors which can detect
motions as subtle as those associated with breathing and pulse.
Dr. Alan Dalton, Professor of Experimental Physics
at Sussex noted, "The exfoliation of Zenyatta graphite was very
clean with the production of mostly monolayer and bilayer
graphene." Dr. Dalton further stated, "Our initial results using
Zenyatta graphene in rubber composites show exceptional motion
sensitivity to mechanical stress which is critical for sensor
applications. We will be investigating the use of these composites
in several other applications in conjunction with the appropriate
industrial partners."
Rubber composites with multiple properties have
potential sensor applications in wearable sports clothing and
medical devices as health monitors.
Dr. Bharat Chahar, VP Market Development for
Zenyatta noted, "This further confirms the distinct and desirable
properties of Albany graphite for conversion to graphene which was
previously recognized by scientists in Israel, Japan and Canada.
Dr. Chahar added that "We continue to find that the unique
properties of our graphite enable easier production of consistently
high quality and easily dispersible graphene which is opening doors
for new and important applications, especially composites. Zenyatta
recently achieved similar successful results using our graphene in
concrete composites with Dr. Oren Regev at Ben-Gurion
University."
The Company continues to provide high-purity
graphite samples to potential end-users to allow them to assess the
consistent quality of our material in their current graphene
product developments.
Emulsion Applications
Scientists at Sussex have also developed techniques to
produce solid-stabilized water-in-oil suspensions known as
emulsions. Exfoliated graphite or graphene can be used as the
stabilizing solid for these emulsions. These emulsions can then be
used in new applications where the control of electrical and
thermal properties is critical for performance. Examples of such
applications include inkjet printing, thin wires, stress sensors
and supercapacitors.
Sussex has developed a method to produce the
graphene directly in the emulsion, but the homogeneity and yield of
the Zenyatta produced graphene determined the success and
usefulness of the suspension. In the past, the low yields and lack
of homogenous graphene from other sources resulted in insufficient
concentration of graphene and required further processing with a
centrifuge. Recent results with Zenyatta's Albany graphite
demonstrated superior homogenous graphene production with high
yields thus allowing production of conductive liquid suspensions
directly. These emulsions show excellent conductivity controls at
graphene concentrations of approximately 1% or less.
Sussex is a
world-leading research university near Brighton, United Kingdom.
The high quality research-led university delivers internationally
recognized, high-quality research. Zenyatta and Sussex are now
working to scale-up testing while developing plans to prove out the
viability of applications.
Zenyatta Ventures
Ltd. is developing the Albany Graphite Deposit situated in
northeastern Ontario, Canada. The deposit is a unique type of
igneous-hosted, fluid-derived graphite mineralization contained in
two large breccia pipes. The Company is seeking end users for their
graphite and graphene and is working with several collaborative
partners including the development of a graphene enhanced concrete.
Other potential markets for graphite include Li-ion batteries, fuel
cells and powder metallurgy. The outlook for the global graphite
market is very promising with demand growing rapidly from new
applications. It is now considered one of the more strategic
elements by many leading industrial nations, particularly for its
growing importance in high technology manufacturing and in the
emerging "green" industries such as electric vehicle
components.
The Albany graphite deposit is situated 30 km
north of the Trans-Canada Highway, power line and natural gas
pipeline near the communities of Constance Lake First Nation and
Hearst. A rail line is located 70 km away with an all-weather road
approximately 10 km from the graphite deposit. The world trend is
to develop products for technological applications that need
extraordinary performance using ultra-high purity graphite powder
at an affordable cost. Albany graphite can be upgraded with very
good crystallinity without the use of aggressive acids
(hydrofluoric) or high temperature thermal treatment therefore
having an environmental advantage over other types of upgraded
high-purity graphite material.
Mr. Aubrey Eveleigh, P.Geo., Zenyatta's President
and CEO, is the "Qualified Person" for the purposes of National
Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed, prepared and supervised the
preparation of the technical information contained in this news
release. For further information please visit the Company's website
at www.zenyatta.ca or contact: Mara Strazdins, HB.Sc., VP
Corporate Communications and Investor Relations C (416)710-0646, T
(807)
346-1660 mstrazdins@zenyatta.ca or info@zenyatta.ca.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: This analysis does not
represent a statistically large sample size. Furthermore, these
positive results do not mean that Zenyatta can extract and process
Albany graphite for graphite applications on an economic basis.
Without a formal independent feasibility study, there is no
assurance that the operation will be economic. The Company has
completed a July 9, 2015 Preliminary Economic Assessment which
indicates an open pit mine life of 22 years (excludes underground
resource which is open at depth) producing 30,000 tonnes purified
graphite per annum (see Zenyatta press release of 1 June 2015). The
PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral
resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have
the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them
to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty
that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized. 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. This news release may contain forward looking information
and Zenyatta cautions readers that forward looking information is
based on certain assumptions and risk factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from the expectations of
Zenyatta included in this news release. This news release includes
certain "forward-looking statements", which often, but not always,
can be identified by the use of words such as "potential",
"believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could",
"would", "will", or "plan". These statements are based on
information currently available to Zenyatta and Zenyatta provides
no assurance that actual results will meet management's
expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and
statements with respect to Zenyatta's future plans, objectives or
goals, to the effect that Zenyatta or management expects a stated
condition or result to occur, including the expected timing for
release of a pre-feasibility study, the expected uses for graphite
in the future, and the future uses of the graphite from Zenyatta's
Albany deposit. Since forward-looking statements are based on
assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very
nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual
results relating to, among other things, results of metallurgical
processing, ongoing exploration, project development, reclamation
and capital costs of Zenyatta's mineral properties, and Zenyatta's
financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from
those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons
such as, but are not limited to: failure to convert estimated
mineral resources to reserves; the preliminary nature of
metallurgical test results; the inability to identify target
markets and satisfy the product criteria for such markets; the
inability to complete a prefeasibility study; the inability to
enter into offtake agreements with qualified purchasers; delays in
obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental,
environmental or other project approvals; political risks;
uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing
needed in the future; changes in equity markets, inflation, changes
in exchange rates; fluctuations in commodity prices; delays in the
development of projects; capital and operating costs varying
significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the
mineral exploration and development industry; and those risks set
out in Zenyatta's public documents filed on SEDAR. This list is not
exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Zenyatta's
forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be
considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on
Zenyatta's forward-looking statements. Although Zenyatta believes
that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the
forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable,
undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only
applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can
be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames
or at all. Zenyatta disclaims any intention or obligation to update
or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required
by law.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Zenyatta Ventures Ltd.
info@zenyatta.ca
Tel. 807-346-1660
www.zenyatta.ca
This
announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf
of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely
responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the
information contained therein.
Source: Zenyatta Ventures Ltd via Globenewswire
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