TIDMSBLM
RNS Number : 3865K
Sable Mining Africa Limited
30 July 2013
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Sable Mining Africa Ltd / Index: AIM / Epic: SBLM / Sector:
Natural Resources
30 July 2013
Sable Mining Africa Limited ('Sable Mining' or the
'Company')
Nimba Iron Ore metallurgical test work demonstrates low cost DSO
potential
and drill testing of licence extension area completed for
Resource update in Q4
Sable Mining, the AIM listed exploration company, is pleased to
announce further positive results from metallurgical test work from
the Company's 123.5 sq km Nimba Iron Ore Project in south-east
Guinea ('Nimba' or 'the Project').
Overview
-- Metallurgical test work completed on eight drill holes across
Plateau 2 ('P2') and Plateau 3 ('P3')
-- Results further highlight the commercial value of Nimba,
which, with an initial JORC resource of 121.5Mt at an in-situ grade
of 57.8% iron and a current resource expansion exploration target
of 45-80Mt, makes it the second largest on- or near-rail
undeveloped DSO deposit in West Africa
-- Results demonstrate low cost DSO potential:
o Deposit contains easily fragmented rock, which should allow
high crushing rates at low power consumption
o Iron can be separated from gangue elements using a simple
gravity circuit allowing good grade improvement at high recoveries
- over 95% of the iron oxides have been found to be liberated in
the dense fractions
-- Lump yield percentages of both the consolidated and
unconsolidated ore have risen from results of metallurgical
test-holes on canga ore closer to the mountain and original source
- significant lump yield improvement of the P2 north and P3
unconsolidated ore from 15% to 40%
-- Drill testing of extension area as reported by the Company on
13 May 2013 has been completed and will be used for the resource
expansion update expected in Q4 2013
-- 893.9m were drilled in this programme, 48 boreholes completed
and 1,326 samples taken which are being transported to the
designated UltraTrace laboratory in Perth
Sable Mining CEO Andrew Groves said, "These highly positive
metallurgical testwork results further support our belief that
Nimba has the potential to be a world class asset. With anticipated
low capital expenditure because of existing nearby rail, and low
operating expenditure because of the DSO grades, Nimba continues to
set itself apart from its West African iron ore peers.
"Having already demonstrated significant DSO tonnage and a
maiden JORC resource of 121.5Mt at an in-situ grade of 57.8% iron,
these latest results further underline the Project's commercial
viability. The metallurgical test work has highlighted that the
iron mineralisation is amenable to relatively low cost production
as the deposit contains easily fragmented rock, allowing for high
crushing rates at low power consumption, and can be separated from
gangue elements using a simple gravity circuit to further upgrade
the ore. I am therefore confident that Nimba has strong potential
to become a high tonnage, high grade and low cost production asset
in the near term."
Further Information
In line with Sable Mining's exploration programme, metallurgical
test work was recently completed on eight drill holes covering the
northern part of Plateau 2 and Plateau 3.
The test work, which was conducted at AMDEL in Perth, confirmed
that similarities in Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and
Crushing Work Index (CWI) characteristics exist in the iron
mineralisation found across Plateau 2 and Plateau 3 with the
earlier test work which was limited to an area in the southern part
of Plateau 2. The combined UCS average is 15.9MPa with a maximum of
40.9MPa while the CWI average is 3.0kWh/t with a maximum of
13.0kWh/t. These results confirm that the deposit contains easily
fragmented rock, which will allow for high crushing rates at low
power consumption.
Heavy liquid separation (HLS) test work was also conducted on
composite samples of high aluminium and high silica gangue
mineralisation in the fines fraction from both the consolidated and
unconsolidated areas within the Project. The test work was
conducted on four size fractions across three specific gravities
('SG'). Both domains produced good grade improvement at high
recoveries indicating that the gangue elements were well liberated
and can be separated by a simple gravity circuit. These results
were confirmed by QEMSCAN analysis conducted at AMDEL in Adelaide.
A majority (>95%) of the iron oxides were found to be liberated
in the dense fractions (+3.32 SG), representing 80% and 85% of the
iron in the consolidated and unconsolidated domains respectively
(see Table 1).
Drop tower test work, completed at AMDEL Perth, was also
conducted on samples taken from the northern part of Plateau 2 and
Plateau 3. The results indicated a higher lump yield from these
sections of the deposit, when compared to earlier work conducted at
the southern part of Plateau 2. While both the consolidated and
unconsolidated domains show a lump yield improvement, the lump
yield improvement from the unconsolidated domain was significant
(from 15% to 49%).
Table 1. Composite, deslimed and HLS product grades.
Domain and HLS products Fines average average average average average average LOI(1000)
yield Fe% Fe%cal SiO(2) Al(2) S+A(#) P%
% O(3)
%
----------------------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ----------
Feed: Consolidated domain
(C) 58.4 62.4 4.0 5.6 9.6 0.07 6.4
Deslimed C product (+38um) 84% 59.9 63.5 3.7 4.5 8.2 0.07 5.7
HLS Product: C (cut@
SG 3.32,-2mm) 77%(^^) 62.9 66.3 1.1 3.4 4.5 0.07 5.1
HLS Product: C (cut@
SG 3.32,-6.3mm) 72%(^^) 64.2 67.2 0.8 2.5 3.3 0.07 4.5
----------------------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ----------
Feed: Unconsolidated
domain (UC) 59.1 61.8 7.9 2.7 10.6 0.10 4.4
Deslimed UC product (+38um) 84% 61.2 63.6 6.9 1.4 8.3 0.09 3.8
HLS product: UC (cut@
SG 3.32,-2mm) 78%(^^) 65.3 68.0 1.3 1.1 2.4 0.10 3.9
HLS product: UC (cut@
SG 3.32,-6.3mm) 77%(^^) 65.6 68.2 1.0 1.0 2.0 0.09 3.8
----------------------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ----------
# silica plus alumina.
* calculated value based on 30% fines deportment to tails from
wet plant. Data based on met test sample average grades with mining
dilution
^^ estimated fines (-6.3mm) recovery.
The information in this announcement that relates to
Metallurgical Test Work has been reviewed by Jasbir Khosa, a
qualified metallurgist and processing engineer employed by Xstract
Mining Consultants. Jasbir Khosa has sufficient experience which is
relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under
consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to
qualify as a qualified person as defined by the AIM Note for Mining
and Oil & Gas Companies.
** ENDS **
For further information please visit www.sablemining.com or
contact:
Andrew Groves Sable Mining Africa Ltd Tel: 020 7408 9200
David Foreman Cantor Fitzgerald Europe Tel: 020 7894 7000
Stewart Dickson Cantor Fitzgerald Europe Tel: 020 7894 7000
Richard Greenfield GMP Securities Tel: 020 7647 2836
Andy Cuthill MC Peat & Co LLP Tel: 020 7104 2332
John Beaumont MC Peat & Co LLP Tel: 020 7104 2335
Susie Geliher St Brides Media & Finance Tel: 020 7236 1177
Ltd
Charlotte Heap St Brides Media & Finance Tel: 020 7236 1177
Ltd
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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