VANCOUVER, Feb. 27, 2014 /CNW/ - Kivalliq Energy
Corporation ("Kivalliq", TSX-V: KIV) today provided a project
update for Kivalliq's 340,268 acre Angilak Property located in
Nunavut Territory, Canada. This
release summarizes ongoing results from metallurgical and
beneficiation testing performed on Lac 50 Trend uranium
mineralization, including locked cycle alkaline leach tests,
yellowcake precipitation, and a radiometric ore sorting study.
Kivalliq's CEO Jim Paterson
stated: "Our team continues to advance and de-risk the Angilak
Property by evaluating potential uranium extraction and processing
options. The combination of high uranium recoveries and low
reagent consumption will have a positive impact on project
economics. In addition, the radiometric sorting study demonstrated
the potential to remove more than 50% of the waste rock prior to
milling."
Key Point Summary of Metallurgical and Beneficiation
Testing
- Locked cycle leach tests confirmed the ability to recycle 100%
of the primary alkaline leach reagents;
- Low consumption of ancillary reagents was demonstrated;
- >95% uranium recovery in 48 hour leach cycle;
- Low impurity yellowcake product meets ASTM C976-13 standard
specifications;
- Radiometric ore sorting showed potential to reduce dilution
with up to 96.7% uranium recovered from 49.2% of the sample
mass.
For Angilak Property data, tables, maps and figures please
see: http://kivalliqenergy.com/uranium/archive/
Locked Cycle Leaching Test and Yellowcake
Precipitation
In 2013, the Saskatchewan Research Council ("SRC") in
Saskatoon, SK, Canada commenced locked cycle alkaline leach
testing on drill core samples from Kivalliq's Lac 50 Trend uranium
deposits. These tests were designed to simulate continuous leaching
operations, optimize processing conditions to remove impurities and
determine dosage of reagents required. A final yellowcake
product was also produced to confirm low impurity levels
demonstrated by preliminary testing disclosed in Kivalliq's news
release of February 28, 2013.
"Results from ongoing metallurgical work at Lac 50 are very
encouraging," stated Chuck Edwards,
Director, Metallurgy at AMEC Americas Limited. "Initial
locked cycle alkaline leach tests have confirmed that a proposed
alkaline leach circuit for Lac 50 mineralization will require low
levels of reagent consumption, resulting in positive cost
implications on future plant operations."
The locked cycle alkaline leaching tests show that after an
initial charge of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate these
reagents can be recycled. Any additional leach reagent needed
can be produced onsite by capturing the carbon dioxide extracted
from exhaust gases of diesel generators typical in mining
operations. After initial start up, sodium hydroxide and lime
are the only alkaline reagents that the alkaline leaching process
will consume.
An 8.7 kilogram composite sample derived from 49 drill core pulp
rejects from 12 Lac 50 and J4 Zone drill holes was submitted to SRC
for locked cycle leach tests. A total of 21 cycles were
conducted at 70oC, 50% pulp density, 300 kPa of oxygen
gas for up to 48 hours. Fresh alkaline solution, containing 50 g/L
sodium carbonate and 20 g/L sodium bicarbonate, was only used in
the first cycle to start the process. The other 20 cycles were
performed in the recycled alkaline solutions after sodium diuranate
precipitation and carbonation. Lime, as a calcium hydroxide
solution, was used to precipitate and remove sulfate and other
impurities. To reduce consumption of sodium hydroxide, lime
was also used to remove excess sodium bicarbonate from the leach
solution. The sodium hydroxide consumption rate was determined to
be 16.9 kg/tonne while the consumption rate for lime was 7.6
kg/tonne. After sodium diuranate precipitation, excessive
sodium hydroxide in the recycled barren solution was carbonated to
produce sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate by introducing
carbon dioxide gas.
The process conditions of leaching, impurity removal, sodium
diuranate precipitation, and carbonation achieved high uranium
leaching recovery (>95% in 48 hours), effective lime
precipitation impurity removal with low uranium loss (<0.1%),
high uranium recovery in the sodium diuranate precipitate (99.6%),
and consistent solution regeneration for recycling.
Low Impurity Yellowcake Production
Sodium diuranate produced from each leach cycle was combined,
dissolved in sulphuric acid, and precipitated as a single
representative ammonium diuranate yellowcake final product.
The final uranium peroxide yellowcake product was analyzed at SRC
for uranium and impurities. The results compared with Impurity
Maximum Concentration Limits from ASTM C976-13 Standard
Specification for Uranium Concentrate are shown in Table 1. The
yellowcake produced contains 70.0% uranium and low impurity
levels. Boron and magnesium are marginally higher than
penalty levels but significantly below reject levels. All
impurities assayed meet ASTM C976-13 standards. The conditions for
uranium peroxide yellowcake production are not yet optimized and
will be the focus of future testing.
Radiometric Ore Sorting Test
On September 13, 2013, Kivalliq
released encouraging radiometric characterization results from a
Preliminary Ore Sorting Investigation undertaken by TOMRA Sorting
Inc. ("TOMRA") of Surrey, BC,
Canada. As follow up to this work,
Kivalliq engaged TOMRA to undertake further radiometric ore sorting
tests on 222.7 kilograms of half-split NQ core collected from Lac
50 Trend resource drilling.
The results from these most recent tests demonstrate a 96.7%
cumulative uranium recovery in a mass recovery of 49.2% (i.e. 50.8%
of the rock mass is rejected with a 3.3% loss of uranium) The
testing also shows a 94.1% cumulative uranium recovery with a
marked drop in mass recovery at 15.9% (i.e. 84.1% mass rejected
with 5.9% loss of uranium). The testing reflects the high-grade
uranium characteristics at Lac 50 where the majority of uranium
mineralization occurs as disseminations and veins of massive
pitchblende within the carbonate and hematite alteration zone
comprising the Lac 50 Trend inferred resource.
"We are very pleased with the ongoing success of radiometric ore
sorting studies. The substantial upgrading of uranium through
sorting could have significant positive impacts on future mining
and milling operations," stated Jeff
Ward, President of Kivalliq Energy. "Kivalliq will conduct
further testing on additional composites of Lac 50 Trend uranium
mineralization to further refine and confirm repeatability of these
excellent results."
Kivalliq provided TOMRA with a 222.7 kilogram composite sample
from 4 drill holes, comprised of 46.4% "Mineralized Zone" and 53.6%
barren wall rock "Waste", to determine the removal of internal
dilution and dilution introduced through mining. The
composite had a head grade of 0.21% uranium which included 103.4
kilograms of half split drill core from Lac 50 Zone and J4 Zone
mineralization grading 0.45% uranium; and 119.3 kilograms of barren
wall rock waste. TOMRA screened the composite material into
four size fractions: (1) +25mm; (2) +20mm -25mm; (3) +12mm -20mm;
and (4) -12mm "fines". The samples were scanned and sorted using a
bench top radiometric unit configured to simulate a full-scale
radiometric sorter (short integration recovery). Using the
correlation between measured gamma counts and uranium grade from
the September 2013 characterization
study, the individual rock fragments in each size fraction were
classified into 11 different radiometric groups (1 = barren &
11 = highest grade). No sorting was performed on the -12mm "fine"
fraction which was only 0.6% of the sample mass. The sorted sample
groups were sent to SRC for Total Digestion ICP analysis. The
recovery curves for the combined Mineralized Zone and Waste - All
Size Fractions (no fines) including concentrate and tails grades
are shown in Figure 1. The data for Figure 1 is included in Table
2.
TABLE 1. Impurity Analysis of Kivalliq
Yellowcake Product ASTM C976-13a
Specifications |
ASTM C967-13
(Mass%, Uranium Basis) |
Kivalliqre(Mass%, Uranium
Basis) |
Component |
Limit without
Penalty |
Limit without
Rejection |
Yellowcake Product |
Uranium (U) |
N/A |
65% min. |
70% |
Arsenic (As) |
0.05% |
0.1% |
0.0016% |
Boron (B) |
0.005% |
0.1% |
0.008% |
Calcium (Ca) |
0.05% |
1% |
<0.01% |
Carbonate (CO3) |
0.2% |
0.5% |
0.04% |
Chromium (Cr) |
N/A |
N/A |
<0.0001% |
Fluoride (F) |
0.01% |
0.1% |
<0.01% |
Halides (Br, Cl, I) |
0.05% |
0.1% |
<0.002% |
Iron (Fe) |
0.15% |
1% |
<0.01% |
Lead (Pb) |
N/A |
N/A |
<0.0001% |
Magnesium (Mg) |
0.02% |
0.5% |
0.05% |
Moisture (H2O) |
2% |
5% |
0.2% |
Molybdenum (Mo) |
0.1% |
0.3% |
0.003% |
Phosphorus (PO4) |
0.1% |
0.7% |
<0.01% |
Potassium (K) |
0.2% |
3% |
<0.01% |
Selenium (Se) |
N/A |
N/A |
<0.001% |
Silica (SiO2) |
0.5% |
2.5% |
0.07% |
Silver (Ag) |
N/A |
N/A |
<0.001% |
Sodium (Na) |
1% |
7.5% |
<0.01% |
Sulfur (S) |
1% |
4% |
0.16% |
Thorium |
0.1% |
2.5% |
<0.0001% |
Titanium |
0.01% |
0.05% |
0.009% |
234U |
56 µg/gU |
62 µg/gU |
55.2 µg/gU |
Vanadium (V) |
0.06% |
0.3% |
0.003% |
Zirconium (Zr) |
0.01% |
0.1% |
<0.001% |
FIGURE 1. TOMRA Radiometric Ore Sorting Results - Mineralized
Zone & Waste (All size fractions - no fines)
http://files.newswire.ca/1209/KivaliqFig1.pdf
TABLE 2. TOMRA Radiometric Ore Sorting Results -
Mineralized Zone & Waste (All size fractions - no
fines)
Set Points
(counts/mass/second) |
Mass Pull to
Concentrate
(Mass %) |
Cumulative
Recovery
(U %) |
Concentrate
Grade
(U %) |
Tails
Grade
(U %) |
250 |
1.1% |
28.3% |
5.37% |
0.15% |
100 |
3.5% |
86.9% |
5.20% |
0.03% |
80 |
3.7% |
87.0% |
4.93% |
0.03% |
40 |
5.1% |
88.0% |
3.59% |
0.03% |
20 |
8.5% |
91.4% |
2.26% |
0.02% |
10 |
15.9% |
94.1% |
1.24% |
0.01% |
1 |
49.2% |
96.7% |
0.41% |
0.01% |
QA/QC
The SRC facility operates in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2005
(CAN-P-4E), General Requirements for the Competence of Mineral
Testing and Calibration laboratories and is accredited by the
Standards Council of Canada.
Samples are analyzed by SRC's ICP-OES multi-element ICP1 assay
method and results are reported in parts per million (ppm). 1 ppm =
1g/tonne; 10,000 ppm = 1%. ICP U assays in ppm can be
converted to % U3O8 as follows: %
U3O8 = ppm U x 0.01179
TOMRA (formerly Commodas Ultrasort and Terra Vision) are leaders
in the specialized field of sensor-based sorting technology for the
mining industry. Experience from 15 test facilities worldwide have
led to significant advances in automated material identification
and sorting for the mining and mineral processing industries.
Jeff Ward, P.Geo, President of
Kivalliq and a Qualified Person for Kivalliq, has reviewed and
approved the scientific and technical information contained in this
release. For disclosure related to the inferred resource for the
Lac 50 Trend uranium deposit, please refer to Kivalliq's news
release of March 1, 2013.
About Kivalliq Energy Corporation
Kivalliq Energy Corporation (TSX-V: KIV) is a Vancouver-based uranium exploration company
holding Canada's highest-grade
uranium resource outside of Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin. Its flagship project, the
340,268 acre Angilak Property in Nunavut Territory, hosts the Lac
50 Trend with a NI 43-101 Inferred Resource of 2,831,000 tonnes
grading 0.69% U3O8, totaling 43.3 million
pounds U3O8. Kivalliq's comprehensive
exploration programs continue to advance the Lac 50 Trend and
demonstrate the "District Scale" potential of the Angilak
Property.
Kivalliq's team of northern exploration specialists have forged
strong relationships with sophisticated resource sector investors
and Angilak Property partner Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. ("NTI").
Kivalliq was the first company to sign a comprehensive agreement to
explore for uranium on Inuit Owned Lands in Nunavut Territory,
Canada and is committed to
building shareholder value while adhering to high levels of
environmental and safety standards and proactive local community
engagement.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
"Jim Paterson"
James R. Paterson, CEO
Kivalliq Energy Corporation
Kivalliq Energy Corporation is a member of the Aurora Mineral
Resource Group of companies, for more information please visit
www.auroraresource.com.
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 release.
Certain disclosures in this release constitute forward-looking
statements that are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and
other factors relating to Kivalliq's operations as a mineral
exploration company that may cause future results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking
statements, including risks as to the completion of the plans and
projects. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. Other than as required by applicable
securities legislation, Kivalliq expressly disclaims any intention
or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements
whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise.
Cautionary Note concerning estimates of Inferred Resources:
This news release uses the term "inferred resources". Inferred
resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence,
and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility.
It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral
Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Kivalliq
advises U.S. investors that while this term is recognized and
required by Canadian regulations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission does not recognize it. U.S. investors are cautioned not
to assume that part or all of an inferred resource exists, or is
economically or legally mineable.
SOURCE Kivalliq Energy Corporation
PDF available at:
http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2014/02/27/20140227_C7612_DOC_EN_37182.pdf