VANCOUVER, Feb. 18, 2020 /CNW/ - Defense Metals Corp.
("Defense Metals") (TSX-V:DEFN / OTCQB:DFMTF / FSE:35D) is
pleased to announce that it has received final bench-scale
hydrometallurgical test program results for the Wicheeda Rare Earth
Element Property ("Wicheeda") from SGS Canada Inc.
("SGS"). Samples of Wicheeda flotation concentrate used in a
hydrometallurgical test program led to the successful development
of a flowsheet capable of processing the concentrate to a high
grade mixed REE hydroxide precipitate. Highlights of the recently
completed hydrometallurgical test program include:
- Initial processing via mild hydrochloric acid leach to
extract gangue minerals while leaving REE (Rare Earth Elements) in
the leach residue.
- High REE extraction from flotation concentrate of ~ 90%
into a chloride based leach solution with opportunities identified
to increase recoveries even further.
- Simple treatment of the leach solution with limestone
achieved high (94-100%) removal of impurities such as iron,
phosphorous, and thorium with only minor (2-4 %) REE
losses.
- Simple treatment of purified liquor with hydrated lime
led to the production of a high grade 67.5% TREE (Total REE,
see Table 1 for detailed composition) mixed REE hydroxide
precipitate at high (99-100%) Critical REE recovery from
solution.
- Overall recoveries of 70-75% TREE from bulk sample to a
high grade mixed REE hydroxide precipitate, and up to 76-78%
TREE with reprocessing of the final leach residue.
- Regeneration of 20% (w/w) hydrochloric acid from final
process liquors for re-use in the leaching operation.
As noted above, flowsheet improvement options have been
identified that will be investigated through further testing
including: locked cycle testing to investigate effect of recycling
regenerated hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide; optimization of
the gangue leach circuit to limit REE losses; reprocessing of leach
residue back to the caustic crack stage to improve overall REE
extraction; adoption of two-stage impurity removal process to limit
the overall extent of REE co-precipitation; and inclusion of
hydrochloric acid and caustic regeneration to reduce overall
reagent consumption.
Once optimized, continuous hydrometallurgical pilot plant
testing is required to confirm overall circuit operability, to
confirm product recoveries, product grades, and reagent
consumptions under continuous conditions and to produce bulk
quantities of purified mixed REE product for further separation
testing.
Details of the process development testwork carried out at SGS
will be included in a joint Defense Metals / SGS paper, which will
be presented at the "Processing of Critical Materials" Symposium
(part of the Conference Of Metallurgists) in August 2020 in Toronto.
Craig Taylor, CEO of Defense
Metals, stated; "These hydrometallurgical test results which
showed REE extractions of ~90% from flotation concentrate, in
conjunction with our recently released locked cycle flotation tests
that produced a high grade 48.7% TREO concentrate, conclude a very
successful yearlong metallurgical flowsheet optimization process.
Defense Metals believes these are exceptional results that show the
Wicheeda REE Deposit mineralization is readily amenable to
processing via well-established flotation, and hydrochloric acid
leach / caustic crack REE extraction methods. Based on these
positive results we expect to finalize our plans to commence
continuous pilot plant testing in the near future."
Table 1: Final REE Hydroxide Product Assay
Technical Details
The overall hydrometallurgical flowsheet is chloride based and
uses hydrochloric acid to dissolve gangue minerals away from the
REE carrying minerals. The REE containing leach residue is
subsequently processed in a caustic treatment step to convert REE
phosphates and fluorides into acid soluble REE hydroxides.
The REE hydroxides are leached in hydrochloric acid and the leach
solution is treated to remove impurities such as iron, aluminium,
phosphorous and thorium. A purified and mixed REE product
suitable for further REE separation can be produced either by
hydroxide or oxalate precipitation. Final filtrates from
gangue leaching and REE precipitation are combined and reacted with
sulphuric acid to produce 20% (w/w) hydrochloric acid for re-use
(Figure 1).
Figure 1: Simplified Wicheeda Hydrometallurgical
Flowsheet
About the Wicheeda REE Property
The 1,708 hectare Wicheeda REE Property, located approximately
80 km northeast of the city of Prince
George, British Columbia, is readily accessible by
all-weather gravel roads and is nearby to infrastructure, including
power transmission lines, the CN railway and major highways.
Geologically, the property is situated in the Foreland Belt and
within the Rocky Mountain Trench, a major continental geologic
feature. The Foreland Belt contains part of a large alkaline
igneous province, stretching from the Canadian Cordillera to the
southwestern United States, which
includes several carbonatite and alkaline intrusive complexes
hosting the Aley (niobium), Rock Canyon (REE), and Wicheeda (REE)
deposits.
The Wicheeda REE Property is underlain by Kechika Group
metasedimentary rocks that are intruded by the southeast-trending
Wicheeda carbonatite; a deformed plug or sill approximately 250
metres in diameter that hosts significant REE mineralization. This
intrusion comprises a ferroan dolomite carbonatite core, which
passes gradationally outward into calcite carbonatite. The REE
mineralization is primarily hosted by the dolomitic
carbonatite.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information contained in this news
release as it relates to the Wicheeda REE Property has been
reviewed and approved by Kristopher J. Raffle, P.Geo. (BC)
Principal and Consultant of APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, AB, a director of Defense Metals and
a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 –
Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr.
Raffle verified the data disclosed which includes a review of the
analytical and test data underlying the information and opinions
contained therein.
Methodology and QA/QC
Head grade, batch and locked-cycle flotation, and
hydrometallurgical product assays for cerium, lanthanum, neodymium
and praseodymium oxides were determined via lithium-borate fusion
of a 0.5 gram sample analyzed via wavelength dispersion X-ray
fluorescence (WD-XRF). The remaining rare earth elements for the
head sample were determined via 0.5 gram sodium-peroxide fusion
multi-element ICP-MS.
The SGS analyses included a quality assurance / quality control
(QA/QC) program including the insertion of rare earth element
standard and blank samples. Defense Metals detected no significant
QA/QC issues during review of the data. Defense Metals is not aware
of any drilling, sampling, recovery or other factors that could
materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred
to herein. SGS is an ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO9001:2015 accredited
laboratory. SGS is independent of Defense Metals Corp.
About Defense Metals Corp.
Defense Metals Corp. is an advanced mineral exploration company
focused on the acquisition of mineral deposits containing
metals and elements commonly used in the electric power
market, military, national security and the production of "GREEN"
energy technologies, such as, high strength alloys and rare earth
magnets. Defense Metals has an option to acquire 100% of the 1,708
hectare Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Property 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".
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.
Forward Looking Information
This news release includes certain statements that constitute
"forward-looking information or statements" within the meaning of
applicable securities law, including without limitation, Defense
Metals plans for its properties/ projects, metallurgical testing
and results, commence pilot plant testing, other statements
relating to the technical, financial and business prospects of
Defense Metals and its properties, and other matters.
Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions
and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and
assumptions. These statements relate to analyses and other
information that are based on forecasts of future results,
estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of
management. Any statements that express or involve discussions with
respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections,
objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but
not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not
expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate",
"plans", "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions,
events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be
taken, occur or be achieved), and variations of such words, and
similar expressions are not statements of historical fact and may
be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statement are
necessarily based upon a number of factors that, if untrue, could
cause the actual results, performances or achievements of Defense
Metals to be materially different from future results, performances
or achievements express or implied by such statements. Such
statements and information are based on numerous assumptions
regarding present and future business strategies and the
environment in which Defense Metals will operate in the future,
including the price of metals and elements, anticipated costs and
the ability to achieve 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, and that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and
governmental and other approvals required to conduct Defense Metals
planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable
terms and in a timely manner. While such estimates and assumptions
are considered reasonable by the management of Defense Metals, they
are inherently subject to significant business, economic,
competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks.
Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and
uncertainties, which could cause actual events, level of activity,
performance or results to differ materially from those reflected in
the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: (i)
risks related to uranium, rare earth elements, and other
commodity price fluctuations; (ii) risks and uncertainties relating
to the interpretation of exploration results; (iii) risks related
to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates and
the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; (iv) that resource
exploration and development is a speculative business; (v) that
Defense Metals may lose or abandon its property interests or may
fail to receive necessary licences and permits; (vi) that
environmental laws and regulations may become more onerous;
(vii) that Defense Metals may not be able to raise additional funds
when necessary; (viii) the possibility that future exploration,
development or mining results will not be consistent with Defense
Metals expectations; (ix) exploration and development risks,
including risks related to accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour
disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions
in exploration and development; * competition; (xi) the potential
for delays in exploration or development activities or the
completion of geologic reports or studies; (xii) the uncertainty of
profitability based upon Defense Metals history of losses; (xiii)
risks related to environmental regulation and liability; (xiv)
risks associated with failure to maintain community acceptance,
agreements and permissions (generally referred to as "social
licence"), including local First Nations; (xv) risks relating to
obtaining and maintaining all necessary government permits,
approvals and authorizations relating to the continued exploration
and development of Defense Metals projects; (xvi) risks related to
the outcome of legal actions; (xvii) political and regulatory risks
associated with mining and exploration; (xix) risks related to
current global financial conditions; and (xx) other risks and
uncertainties related to Defense Metals prospects, properties and
business strategy. These risks, as well as others, could cause
actual results and events to vary significantly.
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, the loss of key
directors, employees, advisors or consultants, adverse weather
conditions, increase in costs, equipment failures, litigation,
failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations
and fees charged by service providers. Investors are cautioned that
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance
or events and, accordingly are cautioned not to put undue reliance
on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of
such statements. The forward-looking statements included in this
news release are made as of the date hereof and Defense Metals
disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by
applicable securities legislation.
SOURCE Defense Metals Corp.