Plateau Energy Metals announces final results from its preliminary test work program at ANSTO Minerals laboratories, Australi...
July 18 2018 - 7:30AM
Plateau Energy Metals Inc. (“
Plateau”
“
PLU” or the "
Company")(TSX
VENTURE:PLU)(FRANKFURT:QG1)(OTCQB:PLUUF), a lithium and uranium
exploration and development company, is pleased to provide final
results from the initial metallurgical test work program undertaken
by ANSTO Minerals (a division of the Australian Nuclear Science and
Technology Organisation) processing laboratories in Sydney,
Australia. The test work was completed on representative
lithium-rich tuff samples collected from outcrop trenches at the
Falchani discovery on the Company’s Macusani Plateau
lithium/uranium project in southeastern Peru.
The test work forms part of the Company's
continuing efforts to unlock value from the Falchani high-grade
lithium discovery and demonstrates successful ‘proof of concept’
precipitation of battery grade lithium carbonate product employing
an approach which involves simple atmospheric acid leaching of the
lithium-rich tuff feed material followed by conventional lithium
processing steps.
ANSTO Minerals Test Work
Results
- ANSTO Minerals has successfully completed a scoping study
taking a sample of lithium-rich tuff, provided by PLU from the
Falchani deposit in Peru, through to a battery grade lithium
carbonate product. (Link to Figure 1 – Image of PLU Li2CO3
Product)
- Lithium Carbonate purity was reported at 99.73% from Primary LC
precipitation before final refining
- Primary Lithium Carbonate product compares favourably with
Industry Specifications (Link to Table 1 – PLU Primary Lithium
Carbonate (LC) Analysis and LC Specifications). Final Refining
expected to remove any elements that are ‘near-spec’ limits (ex.
Ca, K, Na, S)
- Starting with an atmospheric sulfuric acid leach, then after 12
hours in the bulk leach, downstream processing and purification was
completed as per the flowsheet previously recommended by ANSTO
Minerals.
- The approach successfully employed conventional lithium
processing steps to produce battery grade product at the primary
lithium carbonate precipitation step without any additional
refining steps. (Link to Figure 2– Preliminary Acid Leach Lithium
Carbonate (LC) Flow Sheet for Falchani)
- This demonstrates the “proof of concept” required for the
production of lithium carbonate from the Falchani deposit.
- The next step is to further develop the flowsheet and
associated economic parameters for Li production to the
requirements of a PEA level study.
Ian Stalker, the Interim CEO of Plateau
Energy Metals, commented: “These are excellent results for
Plateau Energy Metals. This preliminary metallurgical investigation
work, completed at the well-known and highly respected laboratories
at ANSTO Minerals, confirms that battery grade quality Lithium
Carbonate can be produced from our Falchani ‘high-grade’ lithium
feed material. It is important to note that these first pass test
results did not highlight any major concerns in the delivery of a
quality, final product. The process flow sheet ANSTO followed used
the simple sulfuric acid leach approach and employed conventional
lithium processing steps.
The next step for PLU is commencing a
Preliminary Economic Assessment Study (PEA) to better understand
the economic background behind this preliminary result. We intend
to commence this ‘Study’ this quarter.
PLU is also busy completing our NI 43-101
Mineral Resource Estimate for our Falchani discovery and expect to
release this shortly. The Resource Estimate will include a
Maiden Resource for our high-grade Falchani Lithium discovery and
also a separate resource estimate for the uranium mineralization
discovered during this recent drill program.
Qualified PersonsDoug Collier
(FAusIMM) of ANSTO Minerals, and a qualified person as defined by
National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical
information contained in this news release.
About ANSTO
MineralsANSTO Minerals is an international mining
consultancy group located in Sydney, Australia, with an experienced
team of 60+ engineers, metallurgists, chemists, and scientists who
have been providing consulting services and process development
services to the mining and minerals processing industries for well
over 35 years. ANSTO Minerals has world-leading expertise in
uranium ore processing, rare earth processing,
zirconium/niobium/hafnium processing, base metals processing,
lithium processing (brines and hardrock), and radioactivity control
and management.
About Plateau Energy
MetalsPlateau Energy Metals Inc. is a Canadian lithium and
uranium exploration and development company focused on its
properties on the Macusani Plateau in southeastern Peru. The
Company controls all reported uranium resources known in Peru,
significant and growing lithium resources and mineral concessions
covering over 91,000 hectares (910 km2) situated near significant
infrastructure. Plateau Energy Metals is listed on the TSX Venture
Exchange under the symbol 'PLU', quoted on the OTCQB under the
symbol “PLUUF” and the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol 'QG1'.
The Company has 70,746,470 shares issued and outstanding.
Forward Looking InformationThis
news release includes certain forward-looking statements concerning
possible expected results of exploration and future exploration and
development activities. Forward-looking statements are frequently
identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect",
"anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to
future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on
the current opinions and expectations of management. All
forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to
a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including risks
and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results,
the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the
possibility that any future exploration, development or mining
results will not be consistent with our expectations; mining and
development risks, including risks related to accidents, equipment
breakdowns, labour disputes (including work stoppages and strikes)
or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in
exploration and development; the potential for delays in
exploration or development activities; risks related to commodity
price and foreign exchange rate fluctuations; risks related to
foreign operations; the cyclical nature of the industry in which we
operate; risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a
timely basis and on acceptable terms or delays in obtaining
governmental approvals; risks related to environmental regulation
and liability; political and regulatory risks associated with
mining and exploration; risks related to the certainty of title to
our properties; risks related to the uncertain global economic
environment; and other risks and uncertainties related to our
prospects, properties and business strategy, as described in more
detail in Plateau Energy Metals’ recent securities filings
available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements
and Plateau cautions against placing undue reliance thereon.
Neither Plateau nor its management assume any obligation to revise
or update these forward-looking statements.
For further information, please
contact:Plateau Energy Metals
Inc.
Website:
www.plateauenergymetals.comTed O’Connor,
Director
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pluenergy/ted@plateauenergymetals.com
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/pluenergy/+1-416-628-9600info@plateauenergymetals.com
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.
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