BRR Braemore Res

RNS Number:8327A
Braemore Resources PLC
25 July 2007


25 July 2007



                             BRAEMORE RESOURCES PLC
                               ("Braemore")


          BRAEMORE TO COMMENCE COMMERCIAL SMELTING OF PGM CONCENTRATES


Braemore Resources Plc (AIM: BRR) announces that its subsidiary Independence
Platinum Ltd ("Independence") and Mintek are to commence processing, on a
commercial scale, a range of high chrome Platinum Group Metal ("PGM")
concentrates at Mintek's smelter facility at Randburg, South Africa using the
ConRoast smelting technology.


Braemore, through Independence, has a 10 year world wide exclusive licence for
the ConRoast Smelting technology.


Smelting is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2007 following the
completion of a maintenance program.


The high-chrome UG2 PGM concentrates will initially be smelted at a rate of
1,000 tonnes per month using the existing 1.5MW DC Arc furnace at Mintek to
produce about 30,000 ozs of PGM per annum. The smelter will subsequently be
upgraded to 2.5MW capacity and will then be capable of processing over 2,000
tonnes per month.


During the first twelve months of this smelting campaign, it is intended to
construct a hydrometallurgical leach plant to subsequently produce nickel,
copper, cobalt intermediate products for downstream processing and a high-grade
PGM final concentrate for sale.


Braemore Managing Director, Hamish Bohannan, said the Mintek smelter initiative
was a significant step forward in the commercialisation of the technology and
for the emerging new junior PGM producers.


"Entry into the platinum market has been difficult for junior companies as a
result of limited access to smelting and processing facilities to process
chrome-rich UG2 concentrates. We are delighted to have the opportunity to now
demonstrate this smelting and refining technology at a small scale but
commercial level here in South Africa".


                                    - Ends -





For further information please contact:


Braemore
Mr Hamish Bohannan
Managing Director
Braemore Resources Plc
Telephone (Office): +61 8 9218 8833
Telephone (Mobile): +61 419 234 770

Nabarro Wells & Co. Limited
Mr Hugh Oram
Director
Telephone (office)  +44 20 7710 7400

Parkgreen Communications - London
Justine Howarth/Clare Irvine
Telephone (Office): +44 20 7851 7480

Gryphon Management - Perth
David Griffiths
Telephone (Office): +61 8 9382 8300
Telephone (Mobile): +61 419 912 496


Notes to Editors:

Independence Platinum Limited

Independence has been established for the purposes of financing and investing in
the evaluation, development and operations of Independence Base Metals Refiners
(Pty) Ltd, Independence Platinum Resources (Pty) Ltd and Independence Precious
Metals Refiners (Pty) Ltd in South Africa.

Braemore acquired control of Independence, an unlisted company registered in
England and Wales in December 2006.

Braemore through Independence is implementing plans to evaluate, establish and
operate independent base metals refining facilities for the smelting and
refining of sulphide concentrates containing platinum group metals ("PGM")
from emerging platinum producers in South Africa.

The new smelting and refining facilities are being evaluated in terms of an
initial capacity to process 360,000 tonnes of sulphide concentrates containing
platinum group metals ("PGM") per annum, to extract and produce up to
30,000 tonnes of nickel metal, 15,000 tonnes of copper metal and 1,000,000
ounces of PGM in a high grade PGM iron alloy for subsequent precious metal
refining.

There are some 25 new PGM projects under review in South Africa at present with
only a few of these having offtake agreements with the major PGM producers, who
require concentrates meeting exacting specifications in terms of low chrome and
nickel content.  Most of these newer projects would produce concentrates with
higher chrome and nickel contents which are metallurgically challenging for
traditional "6-in-line" smelters.

Consequently, there is an urgent requirement for a new independent smelter
applying new smelting technology that can accommodate such "difficult"
concentrates.  Independence with its proven patented ConRoast smelting
technology, licensed from Mintek in South Africa has the ability to process
these ores.

Braemore is proceeding with the implementation of plans for the development and
operation of independence smelting and base metals refining facilities in South
Africa.

Mintek

Mintek is a statutory body constituted in South Africa and a leading
organisation engaged in the business of research, development, commercialisation
and promotion of metallurgical technologies for the processing of minerals world
wide.

ConRoast Process

Mintek developed, piloted and patented a process for the treatment of sulphide
concentrates containing platinum group metals, nickel, copper, cobalt and other
base metals ("ConRoast Process").

The ConRoast Process operates to remove sulphur from the metal sulphide
concentrates by roasting, followed by smelting of dead-roasted concentrate in a
DC arc furnace using an iron based alloy as a collector of platinum group
metals, nickel, copper, cobalt and other base metals.

The ConRoast Process offers significant advantages in terms of environmental
impact, health and safety.

Sulphur emissions are captured and removed from the enclosed roasting equipment
in a continuous stream of sulphur dioxide gas of an appropriate strength as feed
to a plant to produce sulphuric acid for use in downstream base metal leaching
operations.

The ConRoast Process provides great flexibility for treatment of a range ore
types and concentrate compositions without imposing limits on the minimum
quantities of contained base metals or sulphur.  It can tolerate high contents
of chromite in concentrates characteristic of UG2 ores.  UG2 ores are becoming
increasingly important in the production of platinum group metals.

The ConRoast Process produces a metal alloy from the furnace which is water
atomised prior to leaching.

Overall the ConRoast Process achieves very high metal recoveries and produces
high purity metals and a clean high-grade concentrate of platinum group metals
for precious metals refining.






                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END
MSCBDGDRUGDGGRU

Braemore Res (LSE:BRR)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2024 to Aug 2024

Braemore Res (LSE:BRR)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2023 to Aug 2024