Commerce Resources Corp. Updates Metallurgical Test Work for its
Ashram Rare Earth Element Deposit in Northern Quebec
VANCOUVER, Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Commerce
Resources Corp. (TSXv: CCE, FSE: D7H, OTCQX: CMRZF) (the
"Company" or "Commerce") is pleased to provide an update on the
ongoing metallurgical test work for the Company's 100%-owned Ashram
Rare Earth Element ("REE") Deposit located in northern Quebec. Significant metallurgical advancements
have been made over those detailed in the project's Preliminary
Economic Assessment ("PEA") as released on May 24, 2012.
Initial Cracking Tests
Cracking of mineral concentrates began in June, 2012 at Hazen
Research Inc. ("Hazen"), Colorado
where initial tests focused on determining acid consumptions and
demonstrating the cracking process outlined in the Company's PEA.
This process involves known and conventional techniques common to
the simple rare earth mineralogy of Ashram (monazite, bastnaesite,
and xenotime), in which the mineral concentrate is dissolved in
sulphuric acid. This facilitates the removal of impurities (Th, Fe,
Mg, Ca, F, etc.) and ends with the precipitation of REE's as a
mixed pure oxide or carbonate product.
Preliminary results are available on low- to
mid-grade concentrates (~6-12% Total Rare Earth Oxide, "TREO"),
while larger volumes of high-grade concentrates are being produced
for the ongoing test work. To date, results have shown that
the rare earths are readily entering solution with some loss
indicated into the residual gypsum (solid) as expected. In
only the first few bench scale tests, recoveries into solution,
from the mineral concentrates, have totalled up to 98% for a single
REE (La) with an average of 94% TREEs (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd,
Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu + Y). As anticipated,
recoveries are highest for the LREEs (La, Ce, Pr, and Nd).
Test work is being completed to liberate the remaining REE's
present within the residual products, with the goal of bringing
recoveries into solution of essentially 95%+ for the light, middle,
and heavy REEs.
Impurity removal is underway and progressing as
anticipated. Most fluorine is removed from the system as HF gas
during initial sulphuric acid attack. The HF is then condensed and
captured. The process is being evaluated for its potential to
convert the HF into an acid-grade fluorspar or a hydrofluoric acid
by-product. It should be noted that the economics of any potential
by-product(s) were not evaluated by the recently completed PEA for
the Ashram Deposit.
Advancements in Flotation Grade and Recovery
Rates
The PEA outlined a base case mineral concentrate grade of 10% TREO
at a recovery rate of 70%. Of the new test results, highlights
include an 11.2% TREO mineral concentrate at a 76% recovery (XRF)
representing TREO upgrading of 6.8 times. In addition,
recoveries of over 75% have been achieved while maintaining
significant mineral concentrate grades. Most importantly the
near term goal, as outlined in the PEA, of creating a 20% TREO
mineral concentrate with >60% recovery has been achieved
with test 3560-148 returning 20.1% TREO at a recovery of 65%.
This result was achieved via a fine grain size screening technique
at the bench scale. The viability of screening at this grain
size on a larger scale is being assessed. Select test results
are detailed in the following table:
Test Results of Mineral Concentrate Upgrading via
Conventional Flotation
ICP Analysis
| Test ID |
Percent of
Original
Feed Weight |
ICP
Analysis
(TREO)(1) |
Approximate
Recovery |
Upgrade
Ratio(2) |
| 3560-148 |
4.4% |
20.1% |
65% |
10.3 times |
| 3583-117 |
7.2% |
14.2% |
51% |
7.3 times |
| 3583-24 |
8.9% |
13.8% |
62% |
7.1 times |
| 3503-28(5) |
10.0% |
11.1% |
62% |
5.7 times |
| PEA BASE
CASE |
10.0% |
70% |
5.1 times |
| 3560-127 |
15.9% |
9.2% |
73% |
4.7 times |
| 3503-27 |
19.8% |
6.7% |
77% |
3.4 times |
Portable Niton XRF Analysis
| Test
ID |
Percent
of
Original
Feed
Weight |
Niton XRF
Analysis(3)
(Ce2O3 + La2O3,
+ Pr2O3 +
Nd2O3) |
Extrapolated
TREO
Value(4) |
Approximate
Recovery |
Upgrade
Ratio(2) |
| 3560-155 |
10.6% |
11.6% |
13.2% |
63% |
6.8 times |
| 3540-30(5) |
13.8% |
9.9% |
11.3% |
69% |
5.8 times |
| 3583-42 |
15.5% |
9.9% |
11.2% |
76% |
5.7 times |
| 3560-145 |
14.7% |
9.6% |
10.9% |
73% |
5.6 times |
| 3503-34 |
15.1% |
9.1% |
10.4% |
73% |
5.3 times |
|
PEA BASE CASE |
- |
10.0% |
70% |
5.2 times |
| 3583-20 |
20.3% |
7.4% |
8.4% |
78% |
4.3 times |
| 3540-55 |
28.4% |
5.3% |
6.1% |
80% |
3.1 times |
| (1) |
|
|
ICP analysis is quantitative with TREO defined as
Ce2O3 + La2O3 +
Pr2O3 + Nd2O3 +
Eu2O3 + Sm2O3 +
Gd2O3 + Tb2O3 +
Dy2O3 + Ho2O3 +
Er2O3 + Tm2O3 +
Yb2O3 and + Y2O3.
Lu2O3 is not included in the summation. |
| (2) |
|
|
Based on an average 1.95% TREO starting head grade. |
| (3) |
|
|
Niton Portable XRF analysis is semi-quantitative and expressed
as a summation of Ce2O3,
La2O3, Pr2O3, and
Nd2O3 only. The XRF vs. ICP analytical
methods have consistently shown to correlate well for
Ce2O3, La2O3,
Pr2O3, and Nd2O3 due to
the fine grain size and homogenous character of the mineral
concentrates, thereby allowing for a quick, economic, and effective
means of characterizing a mineral concentrate. As the XRF
data is semi-quantitative it is not as accurate as ICP data and it
has been shown that XRF data for higher grade concentrates may give
TREO values up ~10-15% higher than TREO values determined by
ICP. |
| (4) |
|
|
TREO is inferred from Hazen's summation of
Ce2O3, La2O3,
Pr2O3, and Nd2O3 with
extrapolation, based on known distribution, used to determine the
value for the remaining REOs. The extrapolation assumes
recovery remains constant across all the REOs. |
| (5) |
|
|
Test 3503-28 (ICP) is a repeat of test 3540-30 (XRF) |
As the identification of the best carbonate
depressant and rare earth mineral collector is the focus of the
current test work, it is important to note that the Ashram tests
are not optimized.
The Ashram metallurgical flow-sheet is amenable
to the industry preferred method of initial physical upgrading to a
rare earth mineral concentrate in order to reduce downstream
processing costs and optimize production parameters. The ability to
first upgrade and produce a rare earth mineral concentrate is the
most effective method of reducing acid consumption and associated
costs during the required mineral cracking stages that follow.
Conventional flotation is the physical upgrading process applied to
the Ashram material whereby only minor amounts of reagent are
needed to promote selective flotation of a much larger volume of
rare earth material. This significantly reduces the volume of
material to be processed downstream.
Two reagent schemes have been identified showing
the greatest selectivity during the flotation process. In
preparation for pilot plant level test work, these two schemes will
be further optimized by evaluation of reagent ratios (each scheme
uses a two collector reagent combination with one depressant). Once
the optimal ratio is determined, other factors will be optimized
such as temperature, pH, etc. with grade and recovery expected to
improve. Further, test work will continue in parallel for other
promising reagent combinations as many have yet to be evaluated. In
addition, screening and sizing techniques are being evaluated that
show promise for additional grade improvement and reduced grind
time.
Ongoing Metallurgical Activities
In late summer 2012, a bulk sample of representative in-pit
material (approximately 30-35 tonnes) was collected from the Ashram
Deposit in preparation for pilot plant studies expected to commence
in Q2/Q3 of 2013.
To date, scaling work on 10 kg batches, up from
200 g, have indicated the repeatability of results at a larger
scale. Hazen will further demonstrate this at the bench scale
and also evaluate the repeatability of results at an even larger
and more continuous scale in pilot plant test work scheduled for
the Q2/Q3 2013.
Darren L. Smith,
M.Sc., P.Geol., Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a qualified
person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the
preparation of the technical information in this news release.
Eric Larochelle, Eng, and Alain Dorval, Eng.,
Manager- Process, Mining and Mineral Processing., of Roche Ltd,
Consulting Group, Qualified Persons as defined by National
Instrument 43-101, reviewed the technical information presented in
this news release.
About Commerce Resources Corp.
Commerce Resources Corp. is an exploration and development company
with a particular focus on rare metal and rare earth element
deposits with the potential for economic grades and large tonnages.
The Company is focused on the development of its Upper Fir Tantalum
and Niobium Deposit in British
Columbia and the Ashram Rare Earth Element Deposit in
northern Quebec.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP.
"David Hodge"
David Hodge
President and Director
Tel: 604.484.2700
TF: 866.484.2700
Email: dhodge@commerceresources.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.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking information which are
subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors
that could cause actual events or results to differ from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking
statements in this press release include our projected timeline and
consultants for the PFS, the focus of our metallurgical work, our
planned drilling program, that the Ashram deposit can be developed
economically as an open-pit mine; all information contained in the
pre-feasibility study; and that we can build shareholder value
through the discovery and development of Canadian rare metal and
rare earth element deposits. These forward-looking statements are
based on the opinions and estimates of management and its
consultants at the date the information is disseminated. They are
subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors
that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from
those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks
that could change or prevent these statements from coming to
fruition include changing costs for mining and processing; changing
forecasts of mine production rates; the timing and content of
upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on
drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential
process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited
test work; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for
the products produced; market pricing for the products produced;
and despite the current expected viability of the project,
conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot
be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and
operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking
information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the
Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such
information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as
required by law.
SOURCE Commerce Resources Corp.
