Strata Minerals Inc. (TSX-V:SMP) ("Strata" or the "Company") is
pleased to announce final results and conclusions from the
Company's Phase 1 exploration program at its 80% owned Cardabia
Phosphate Project ("Cardabia") located near Exmouth in Western
Australia.
Key Findings
Strata's key findings from the Phase 1 program of exploration
drilling and preliminary metallurgical test work at Cardabia are
summarized as follows:
- Drill hole results consistently demonstrate the presence of a
shallow sedimentary unit hosting P2O5 within mineralized zones
totaling approximately 0.5 - 2.0 meters in thickness, with an
average thickness of 1.0 meters;
- The unit is observed to reach its easterly extent and outcrop
along a northeast-southwest trend of some 21 km in the southeastern
section of the Cardabia tenements, and dips gently to the
north-west;
- In head grade samples with sufficient mass to the +1mm
fraction, the coarse material averaged 19.9% P2O5 with a starting
head grade average of 1.8%;
- The phosphate mineral is concentrated in the form of apatite
and does not appear to be entrained with waste minerals; and,
- Combined Fe2O3 and Al2O3 assay results in samples analyzed were
high, but are potentially manageable in a conventional flotation
process. Testing indicated that U3O8 concentrates in the coarse
fractions; however, on average, the levels are well below currently
accepted limits.
Notwithstanding some of the findings above and the favorable
logistical advantages of Cardabia, a preliminary assessment of the
potential economics of any future mining operation on the property
indicates that Strata should pursue potentially higher grade,
thicker and generally shallower mineralization. The material
outlined in holes drilled by Strata to date in the south-east
quadrant of the 2,230 sq km Cardabia property are not considered of
sufficient quality to warrant being advanced to a resource.
Elsewhere at Cardabia, historical broad spaced drilling
conducted by CRA Exploration (now Rio Tinto) suggests the potential
for thicker phosphate horizons. With the conclusion of the Phase 1
exploration program, the Company will proceed with required
remediation of surface disturbances related to Phase 1 and
undertake a more detailed desktop study of historical CRA
exploration data in the north-west region of the property. The
purpose of this desktop study will be to further quantify
exploration potential in that area and to develop a new field
program for consideration.
"Strata remains committed to a prudent approach to exploration
at Cardabia; balancing the level of potential risk with the level
of potential reward", said Hugh Agro, Chairman & Director. "The
Company looks forward to reporting back to shareholders on the
results of the Cardabia desktop study and to further developments
as we continue to seek new opportunities to build the business and
earn superior long term returns for our shareholders", he
added.
Final Drill Results from Phase 1 Program
The Phase 1 exploration program at Cardabia was undertaken over
the course of the past twelve months on two of the Company's six
tenements in the south-east quadrant of the property.
Activities were primarily aimed at verifying and quantifying
historical exploration work conducted by CRA in 1990, which
indicated the presence of a large phosphate-bearing horizon with a
strike length of 21 km between South Paddock Dam and Karleedra Dam
on the property. Activities were further aimed at testing for
deleterious elements, assessing the need and potential for
beneficiation and the identification of potentially thicker and
shallower horizons mineralized with P2O5.
In total, 74 holes were drilled in the Phase 1 exploration
program over tenements E08/2303 and E08/2302 using half metre
sampling.
Initial results from 5 drill holes at Cardabia were announced on
December 20, 2012. Results from a further 11 holes were announced
on April 4, 2013 and results from a further 44 holes were announced
on May 31, 2013. Included in this release are results from the
final 10 holes of the program.
Four holes from the program were not submitted for assaying as
two holes had no indications of phosphate within core cuttings and
the samples from two holes had issues in transport and
handling.
Drill hole assay results published by the Company are only for
samples extracted from the drill holes that showed head grade
values above 0.9% P2O5. Selected samples were then sized into four
fractions (+4.75 mm, -4.75 to +1 mm, -1 mm to 75 um and -75 um) for
further assay.
An illustration outlining the location of all 74 holes drilled
in the Phase 1 exploration program and the location of all 10 holes
analyzed for the results published in this release is provided in
Figure 1 below and is available on the Company's website at
www.strataminerals.com.
Sizing and XRF assay sample results received for the 10 holes
included in this release are provided in Table 1 below and is
available on the Company's website.
A lithological interpretation of the 10 holes referenced above
is presented in Figure 2 below and is available on the Company's
website.
QEMSCAN Metallurgical Test Analysis
In addition to the completion of all drill hole assaying, Strata
completed QEMSCAN metallurgical test analysis on a select number of
representative samples at Cardabia.
The analysis was carried out on five drill hole samples using
the same four size divisions as that used in the drill hole assay
test work for a total of twenty samples analyzed.
The analysis was aimed at testing the mineralogy and potential
metallurgical behavior of P2O5 within the samples relative to other
minerals. Such test work is useful in providing an initial
indication of how well P2O5 may be extracted from host
material.
Results from Strata's QEMSCAN tests show that significant P2O5
concentrations occur in the form of apatite in the two coarse
grained fractions sampled. The tests further indicate that P2O5 is
significantly liberated within the samples and not entrained with
unwanted minerals such as silica.
Overall, the results show that the liberation of apatite is good
in the coarse fraction of +1mm, and reasonable in the +75um to 1mm
fraction sampled. Within the -75um fraction sampled, there is poor
apatite concentration and the minerals appear to be interlocked
with mica. This fraction would therefore likely be discarded as
waste in any potential future beneficiation process.
These initial results are considered favorable and indicate that
any future P2O5 bearing material mined at Cardabia has potential
for being treated using a conventional beneficiation process.
Phase 1 Program Conclusions
Strata's Phase 1 activities at Cardabia satisfied a number of
objectives set at the outset of the exploration program:
- The program confirmed historic CRA exploration results and the
presence of a large P2O5 anomaly at Cardabia;
- The program demonstrated that relatively high concentrations of
P2O5 are present in material below the 5.6 mm size threshold
sampled by CRA and above the 1 mm size threshold sampled by Strata;
- The program established that there are no obvious
insurmountable metallurgical challenges to the potential
beneficiation of material sampled to date at Cardabia; and
- The program improved Strata's understanding of the location,
grade and orientation of P2O5 mineralization in the south-east
quadrant of the Cardabia property and provided important
district-wide information on the geological setting for potential
P2O5 deposition elsewhere on the property.
Strata's team of technical consultants has concluded that
Cardabia remains a prospective property for phosphate exploration
and has recommended that further work be undertaken to investigate
this potential.
This news release was authorized by Darryl Mapleson who is a
Fellow of the AusIMM and a Qualified Person as defined by National
Instrument 43-101. Mr. Mapleson has reviewed the preparation of the
scientific and technical information in this release.
"Peter Kozicz"
President, CEO
About Strata Minerals Inc.
Strata Minerals Inc. is an emerging, primarily Australasia
focused, agricultural nutrient company exploring for commercial
scale phosphate rock mineralization deposits. Armed with the
objectives of becoming a supplier to the global fertilizer industry
and generating wealth for its shareholders, Strata is currently
advancing its Cardabia phosphate exploration project in Western
Australia and investigating new opportunities for growth elsewhere
in the world. All references to the Company in this release include
the Company's wholly owned Australian subsidiary, Strata Minerals
Pty Ltd. For further information, please refer to the Company's
website at www.strataminerals.com.
Additional disclosure of the Company's financial statements,
technical reports, material change reports, news releases and other
information can be obtained on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
Certain statements included herein constitute forward-looking
statements. The words "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "propose"
and "may" and similar expressions identify forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things,
statements regarding exploration results and the development and
operation of Strata's mineral properties. Forward-looking
statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and
assumptions. While such estimates and assumptions are considered
reasonable by the management teams of Strata, they are inherently
subject to significant business, economic, competitive and
regulatory uncertainties and risks and accordingly may not occur as
described herein or at all. Investors are cautioned that
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance
or events and, accordingly are cautioned not to put undue reliance
on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of
such statements.
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 news release.
(Image with caption: "Phase 1 Exploration Program - May 2013 -
Figure 1 - Cardabia Drillhole Location Plan ". To view this image,
please visit:
http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2712/6026_image1_enlarged.jpg)
Table
1 |
STRATA MINERALS
INC. |
|
Cardabia
Project |
P2O5 Grade by Sized
Fraction Assay Upgrade |
Phase 1
Exploration Program Additional Results June 30,
2013 |
|
Hole Number |
Sample Number |
Metre From |
Metre To |
Grade |
+4.75mm |
-4.75 +1mm |
-1 mm to + 75 um |
|
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