DNI Reports Additional Bioleaching Results, Including Specialty Metals and Rare Earth Elements From Its Black Shale Projects,...
September 08 2011 - 3:51PM
PR Newswire (Canada)
TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2011 /CNW/ -- DNI METALS INC. (DNI : TSX-Ven)(DG7
: Frankfurt) TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2011 /CNW/ - DNI Metals Inc.
(DNI:TSX-Ven)(DG7:FSE) is pleased to announce consolidated results
from a series of bioleaching R&D studies which conclude DNI's
initial testwork on surface samples from its Alberta polymetallic
black shale projects, Athabasca Region, Alberta. The bioleaching
studies were carried out by Alberta Innovates Technology Futures
(AITF, formerly the Alberta Research Council) to specifications
formulated by DNI and Dr.Corale Brierley, of C.L.Brierley
Consultancy LLC, Denver, who has been assisting DNI during the past
two years as its bioleaching consultant, in formulation of DNI's
bioleaching testwork programs. The studies were implemented in
several iterative stages commencing in late 2009, and were
completed at the end of 2010. The studies collectively confirmed
that suitable bioleaching organisms are indigenous to the shale and
can be readily extracted, cultivated and adapted to the shale's
chemistry. The studies also confirmed that a broad suite of metals
can be collectively extracted from the shale, with high recoveries
for Ni/U/Zn/Co/Cd and lower recoveries for Mo/V/Cu/Li which might
be enhanced through optimized leaching parameters. Results from the
above studies are consistent with results from concurrent
bioleaching testwork previously announced by DNI carried out by the
Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM), France, (press
Apr28/2010), and simple sulfuric acid leaching tests conducted
under DNI's direction at Canadian analytical facilities (press
Mar4/2010). Two sets of surface samples (#BK003 and #BK456) were
tested, both of which were collected by DNI during its 2009 surface
trench sampling from a 9.5m thick mineralized exposure of Second
White Speckled Shale at the Buckton South Zone located
approximately 9km to the south of the Buckton Mineralized Zone.
Sample BK003 represents material collected over 2m of true width,
and sample BK456 is a composite sample collected over approximately
4m of true width beneath sample BK003. The Buckton South Zone
either represents the southerly projected extension of the Buckton
Mineralized Zone, or is a separate similar mineralized Zone which
has not yet been drilled (cored) by DNI, although 12m-23m
thicknesses of the Speckled Shale Formation are reported in
downhole logs from approximately twenty historic oil/gas wells
throughout a 100-150 square kilometer area. The earliest parts of
the testwork, completed in late 2009, consisted of successful
harvesting of bio-organisms from the shale, their culturing and
subsequent adaptation. Acid mobility tests, completed in early 2010
to collect baseline data to assess sulfur reagent consumption
during leaching, reported ranges of 7.4-12.3kg and 89.7-102.9kg of
acid consumption per tonne of mineral feed for sample BK003 and
BK456, respectively. The acid consumption results define too wide a
range to be conclusive and will be re-tested during future work. A
set of bench scale batch amenability leaching tests (BATs) were
carried out in duplicate on approximately 200gm aliquots from each
of the two samples to test amenability of the shale samples to
leaching and to determine the amount and suite of metals which
might be extracted (recovered) from the shale via bioleaching. The
BAT tests entailed leaching during 38 and 27 days of incubation for
samples BK456 and BK003, respectively, utilizing the indigenous
bio-organisms previously harvested from the shale. Test results for
sample BK456 are tabulated below, consolidated from the iterative
studies as calculated by DNI based on analyses, weights or volumes
of the various solid and liquid fractions from the leaching tests
as reported by AITF. Previously announced results from similar
bioleaching tests completed by BRGM and the Acid Leaching tests
carried out under DNI's direction at Canadian analytical facilities
are also tabulated for comparison.
____________________________________________________________________
| Calculated Metals Extractions (recoveries) |
|____________________________________________________________________|
| |Bioleaching - AITF | Bioleaching - |Acid Leaching - DNI| | | |
(ARC) | BRGM | | |
|__|____________________|_______________|___________________| Best
| | | Sample BK456 ((1)) |Sample 09ASH004| Sample 09ASH004 (
|Recovery| | | | ((2)) | (3)) |Achieved|
|__|____________________|_______________|___________________| | | |
per |per Solids|Biotic|Abiotic |36hr-30C| 24hr-50C | | |
|Solutions| |Tests | Tests | | | |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
|Mo| 34% | 30% | 16% | 3% | 28% | 51% | 51% |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
|Ni| 85% | 89% | 88% | 87% | 89% | 70% | 89% |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
|U | 100% | 94% | 88% | 82% | 84% | 67% | 100% |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
|V | 8% | 12% | 6% | 8% | 34% | 51% | 51% |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
|Zn| 100% | 85% | 84% | 84% | 88% | 70% | 100% |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
|Cu| 65% | 66% | na | 49% | 53% | 57% | 66% |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
|Co| 91% | 91% | 88% | 83% | 86% | 69% | 91% |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
|Cd| 100% | 98% | na | na | 93% | 71% | 100% |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
|Li| 25% | 22% | na | na | 45% | 58% | 58% |
|__|_________|__________|______|________|________|__________|________|
(1) Sample BK456 is a weighted composite of samples# 09ASH004,
09ASH005 and 09ASH006. Calculated metal extractions tabulated show
results based on aggregate metals extracted in all solution
fractions as a percentage of the head grade, compared with
extractions calculated based on the difference between head grade
and aggregate metals remaining in all solid (tails) fractions.
Calculated extractions for U and Cd of 104% and 102%, respectively,
are stated as 100%; (2) BRGM test results reiterated from DNI press
Apr28/2010 and tabulated as rounded figures. Abiotic test results
from leaching in acidic conditions without addition of
bio-organisms shown for comparison with the biotic test results;
(3) DNI Acid Leaching results reiterated from DNI press Mar4/2010,
showing comparative results from tests conducted at different
temperatures leach duration. To the extent that all of the leaching
testwork completed to date represent initial tests, the
recoveries tabulated above represent minimum recoveries achievable
and are initial results to be optimized during future additional
testwork. The best recovery achieved to date for the various metals
is shown as a benchmark on which DNI is relying for planning
purposes, and as a benchmark of interim recoveries which future
work will endeavor to enhance. Results for sample BK003 are not
tabulated above given that they did not meet acceptable mass
balance thresholds and can only be regarded in qualitative terms
indicating that the suite of metals of interest can be extracted
from the shale, and that recoveries for Ni/U/Zn/Co/Cd are
considerably better than for Mo/V/Cu/Li. Following bioleaching, one
of the duplicate samples was further leached in HCl to monitor
precipitation of a variety of compounds (eg: jarosites, sulfates,
ferro-compounds) and to assess related metals re-precipitation from
the leaching solution after the metals had been extracted from the
shale. The test results indicate that while a small fraction
(1%-8%) of all dissolved metals, once leached from the shale, are
removed from the leaching solution through re-precipitation, a
considerable portion of Mo-V-Cu (at least approximately 47% of Mo,
58% V and 19% Cu) once leached from the shale are lost to
re-precipitation correlated with abrupt changes in pH within the
leaching solution. The foregoing processes will be addressed during
future testwork intended to optimize test parameters to enhance
recoveries of Mo-V-Cu. DNI's leaching testwork over the past two
years has confirmed collective recoverability of traditional metals
from the shale. The testwork, however, also reported successful
recoveries of additional metals of value which are incidentally
extracted from shale as co-products. These co-products consist of
specialty metals (Li, Sc, Th) and rare earth elements including
critical rare earths (Dy, Y, Tb, Eu and Nd). To the extent that the
leaching tests reported good recoveries of most of the foregoing
metals, they hold potential to add considerable previously
unrecognized value to the mineralized zones identified by DNI at
the Property. Grades for specialty metals and rare earth elements
(REE's) from DNI's 2010-2011 winter drilling program are summarized
below (see also DNI press Jul15/2011 for results for other metals),
together with results from historic drilling and head grades for
samples BK456 and BK003 tested during bioleaching studies.
Considering the excellent uniformity of grades among all drill
holes across the Buckton Mineralized Zone, the tabulated results
serve to characterize grades which can be reasonably expected from
the Zone.
__________________________________________________________________
|Hole or|Zone Width** (m) | Weighted Average Grade (ppm)*** |
|_______|_________________|________________________________________|
|Sample#| From-To |Width|Ce |Dy|Er|Gd|La|Nd|Pr|Sm|Y |Yb|Th|Sc|Li |
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|___|
|11BK01*| 46.6-66.9 |20.3 |85 |na|na|na|57|79|na|11|51|5 |10|12|56
|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|___|
|11BK02*| 67.0-89.8 |22.8 |82 |na|na|na|50|73|na|10|51|5 |11|12|59|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
|11BK03*| 41.2-61.0 |19.9 |77 |na|na|na|49|47|na|9 |40|3 |13|11|56|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
|11BK04*| 54.5-68.0 |13.5 |73 |na|na|na|41|58|na|9 |39|4 |10|12|53|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
|11BK05*| 61.9-74.5 |12.6 |74 |na|na|na|48|42|na|9 |41|4 |11|11|58|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
|7BK01* |132.9-148.2|15.3 |84 |na|na|na|58|39|na|9 |62|6 |10|11|55|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
|7BK03* |75.0-101.2 |26.2 |98 |na|na|na|66|45|na|10|74|7 |10|12|56|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
|7BK05* | 76.8-95.2 |18.4 |90 |na|na|na|55|36|na|8 |55|6 |10|12|56|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
|BK456* | na | 4 |111|16|9 |20|72|94|25|17|98|9 |8 |17|53|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
|BK003* | na | 2 |55 |5 |2 |6 |25|28|9 |5 |22|2 |9 |7 |68|
|_______|___________|_____|___|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|
|m=metres; Eu 1-4 ppm; Tb 1-3 ppm |
|__________________________________________________________________|
___________________________________________________________________________________________
|Hole or|Zone Width** (m) | Weighted Average Grade (lb/st)*** |
|_______|_________________|_________________________________________________________________|
|Sample#| From-To |Width| Ce | Dy | Er | Gd | La | Nd | Pr | Sm | Y
| Yb | Th | Sc | Li |
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|11BK01*| 46.6-66.9 |20.3 |0.17| na | na | na |0.11|0.16| na
|0.02|0.10|0.01|0.02|0.02|0.11 |
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|_____|
|11BK02*| 67.0-89.8 |22.8 |0.16| na | na | na |0.10|0.15| na
|0.02|0.10|0.01|0.02|0.02|0.12|
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|11BK03*| 41.2-61.0 |19.9 |0.15| na | na | na |0.10|0.09| na
|0.02|0.08|0.01|0.03|0.02|0.11|
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|11BK04*| 54.5-68.0 |13.5 |0.15| na | na | na |0.08|0.12| na
|0.02|0.08|0.01|0.02|0.02|0.11|
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|11BK05*| 61.9-74.5 |12.6 |0.15| na | na | na |0.10|0.08| na
|0.02|0.08|0.01|0.02|0.02|0.12|
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|7BK01* |132.9-148.2|15.3 |0.17| na | na | na |0.12|0.08| na
|0.02|0.12|0.01|0.02|0.02|0.11|
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|7BK03* |75.0-101.2 |26.2 |0.20| na | na | na |0.13|0.09| na
|0.02|0.15|0.01|0.02|0.02|0.11|
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|7BK05* | 76.8-95.2 |18.4 |0.18| na | na | na |0.11|0.07| na
|0.02|0.11|0.01|0.02|0.02|0.11|
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|BK456* | na | 4
|0.22|0.03|0.02|0.04|0.14|0.19|0.05|0.03|0.20|0.02|0.02|0.03|0.11|
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|BK003* | na | 2
|0.11|0.01|0.00|0.01|0.05|0.06|0.02|0.01|0.04|0.00|0.02|0.01|0.14|
|_______|___________|_____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
|m=metres; lb/st=pounds per short ton; Eu 0.002-0.008 lb/st; Tb
0.002-0.006 lb/st |
|__________________________________________________________________________________________|
*Drill holes 11BK01-11BK05 drilled by DNI. Drill holes 7BK01, 7BK03
and 7BK05 are historic hole. Drill holes tabulated are from
drilling over the Buckton Mineralized Zone. Samples BK456 and BK003
are surface trenching samples tested during bioleaching
tests. **All holes are vertical and widths reported are true
widths; Drill core sampled at a standard 0.5m interval; Data for
historic holes based on DNI's verification analytical program which
re-sampled historic drill core at lengths averaging 3.8m; Zone
width represents true thickness of the flat-lying Second White
Speckled Shale Formation which hosts the polymetallic
mineralization within its contacts. ***Analyses are weighted
averages over the entire intercept of the Speckled Shale Formation
based on lithogeochemical characterization; Data for historic drill
holes from DNI's verification analytical program; lb/st=pounds per
short ton; na=not available; Analyses by Activation Labs, Ancaster,
ON; REE analyses by ICP or MS after total sample digestion; In
addition to analytical blanks and standards utilized by Actlabs as
part of its analytical quality assurance and quality control
("QA/QC") protocols, DNI's QA/QC parameters consist of duplicate
analyses as follows: one matrix-matched analytical blank per 10
samples, one duplicate analysis of pulverized pulp per 10 samples,
and one duplicate subsample from coarse fraction per 10 samples.
Considering the uniformity of grades among all drill holes across
the Buckton Mineralized Zone, the tabulated results above serve to
characterize grades which can be reasonably expected from this Zone
which holds potential for hosting 1.4-1.5 billion short tons of
polymetallic mineralization extending over 26 square kilometers and
is open in three directions. If amortized over the Buckton
Mineralized Zone, the apparently modest grades tabulated are
significant and represent an immense in-situ metallic budget of
recoverable specialty metals and REE's ranging in the millions of
pounds for any given metal. Sufficient drilling has been completed
over a portion of the Buckton Mineralized Zone to classify a
portion of it to an inferred resource relating to base metals and
Uranium. A similar study relating to specialty metals and REE's
will follow later in the year. Calculated recoveries of specialty
metals and REE's based on results from the AITF bioleaching
testwork studies are summarized below for sample BK456.
______________________________________________________________________
|Calculated Bioleaching Recoveries for Specialty Metals* - Sample
BK456|
|______________________________________________________________________|
| |Ce |Dy |Er |Eu |Gd |La |Nd |Pr |Sm |Tb | Y |Yb |Th**|Sc |Li |
|_________|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|____|___|___|
|per |77%|92%|88%|83%|88%|66%|66%|58%|91%|97%|90%|90%|100%|51%|25%|
|Solutions| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|_________|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|____|___|___|
|per |68%|92%|92%|86%|90%|70%|78%|76%|83%|92%|92%|64%|74% |57%|22%|
|Solids | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|_________|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|____|___|___|
| *calculated by DNI based on analyses, weights or volumes as
reported| | by AITF| | ** Calculated extraction of 111% (per
solution) for Th stated as 100%|
|______________________________________________________________________|
Despite the general availability of commodity price quotes for
specialty metals and REE's, given lack of transparency in their
respective commodity markets, assessment of the economic impacts
that these metals might have as co-products on future development
DNI's polymetallic shales cannot be determined at this time. The
grades and incidental recoverability of these metals are, however,
material to any potential production scenario envisaged by DNI for
continuing exploration and development of the six mineral systems
identified at the Property as a long term source of a variety of
metals. The foregoing results compel DNI to broaden scope of its
future testwork to actively focus on specialty metals and REE's
recoveries alongside the base metals of interest which have so far
been DNI's primary focus. General Update of Work In Progress: A
resource study over a portion of the Buckton Mineralized Zone is
nearly completed and will be announced shortly. Plans are to
augment and amend the study with a stand-alone resources study to
estimate specialty metals and REE's resources, and related metallic
budget hosted within the resources being delineated over a portion
of the Zone. Bioleaching testwork is in progress on composite
samples from the past winter's drilling. This work will
substantially repeat work completed to date on surface trenching
samples, and is slated for completion at the end of the year. Other
work is in its planning stages to expand and optimize leaching
parameters. Permitting applications have been submitted in advance
of a planned winter drilling to probe projected extensions of the
Buckton Mineralized Zone and to commence initial drilling over the
Buckton South Zone which may represent its southerly extension or
an entirely separate similar Zone. DNI continues to focus its
efforts on its polymetallic black shale Properties in Alberta, and
on its carried interest in the diamond discovery on its
Attawapiskat Property, Ontario. The Qualified Person in connection
with this press release is S.F.Sabag P.Geo, DNI's president and
CEO, who has reviewed analytical results and is responsible for
preparation of this press release. All detailed data underlying
test results reported herein are included in Alberta Mineral
Assessment Report#MIN20100017. 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. DNI - TSX Venture DG7 -
Frankfurt Issued: 60,100,284 We seek Safe Harbour. This
announcement includes forward looking statements. While these
statements represent DNI's best current judgment, they are subject
to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary,
including risk factors listed in DNI's Annual Information Form and
its MDS&A's, all of which are available from SEDAR and on its
website. To view this news release in HTML formatting,
please use the following URL:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2011/08/c9665.html
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