VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 28, 2021 / Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXV:CCE)(FSE:D7H0)(OTCWX:CMRZF) (the "Company" or "Commerce") is pleased to announce that it has initiated a mineral processing program to determine the final Prefeasibility Study (PFS) design criteria of the front-end flowsheet for the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit. The program has been developed in coordination with the Qualified Persons for the Project's PFS flowsheet design and will be carried out at Hazen Research, where the Company's conventional base flowsheet has been developed.
The program is designed to confirm the mineral processing components in order to establish the front-end flowsheet design for the PFS. The design of the downstream hydrometallurgical flowsheet for the PFS is currently being confirmed as part of the ongoing program to produce mixed rare earth carbonate concentrate to satisfy several requests by global processors (see news release dated September 9, 2021). Specifically, the mineral processing program will include,
- Incorporation of the advancements to the flotation circuit, made by academic and government institutions, into the Company's base flowsheet developed at Hazen Research.
- Final flotation and magnetic separation development testwork to confirm the optimal reagent suite and conditions of the front-end flowsheet.
- Phase II comminution variability testing on nine (9) domain composites of drill core collected throughout the deposit.
- Front-end flowsheet variability testing on early/mid mine-life deposit material using domain composites.
- Filtration testing on flotation concentrate and tailings to determine material handling and tailings management facility design.
Company President, Chris Grove comments, "The Company has significantly advanced the flowsheet's development through focused work in past programs at Hazen Research as well through the numerous optimizations and discoveries from our institutional collaborations, which continue today. As we advance through the later stages of the PFS for Ashram, it is now time to confirm the flowsheet's PFS design criteria which is the next step in advancing the study to completion. Flowsheet development remains an ongoing process through to Feasibility and is commonly refined during operation, and as such, the Company will continue to advance the test work and unlock the considerable potential for optimization that remains in which Hazen and our institutional metallurgical partners have outlined."
Flotation and Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separation (WHIMS)
Approximately 5 tonnes of Ashram Deposit bulk sample material, at a grade of 2.0% rare earth oxide (REO), have been crushed and ground to use as feed for the test program. The initial focus of the program will be to incorporate into the base flowsheet the discoveries and advancements made by the academic and government institutional groups, namely CanmetMINING (a branch of Natural Resources Canada - NRCan) and Université Laval, whose test programs have been supported by various provincial and federal grant programs. The successes of these programs include significant reductions in reagent quantities, alternative reagent suites, and improved recoveries in cleaner-stage flotation (see news releases dated May 13, 2020, and December 17, 2019, respectively). Once the flotation component of the flowsheet has been confirmed and the optimal flotation reagent scheme and conditions have been determined, a scale-up will be completed, which may include additional piloting.
Following confirmation of the flotation circuit design, the magnetic separation circuit will be further advanced and optimized. The initial work on the magnetic separation stage (WHIMS) proved extremely successful with a strong upgrading factor at very high stage recoveries (high 80s to mid-high 90s) resulting in the high-grade monazite concentrates (>40% rare earth oxide) comparable to global producers. As such, significant room remains for additional improvement and the test work planned herein for the magnetic separation stage will target further optimization of this circuit including the evaluation of different types of magnetic separator equipment.
Comminution and Variability
The Phase II comminution test work is currently being carried out by SGS Canada on nine (9) rock unit domain composites and will include Bond low energy impact testing (CWi), JK drop-weight testing (DWT), SAG mill comminution testing (SMC), Bond rod mill grindability testing (RWi), Bond ball mill grindability testing (BWi), and Bond abrasion testing (Ai). The Phase II comminution test work will complement the Phase I work completed in 2012 on near-surface drill core intersections (<71 m depth) located in the central areas of the deposit. Comminution data is a critical component of a PFS and is required to determine appropriate equipment sizing, maintenance cycles, and energy requirements at the mill.
As part of the overall program, variability testing will be completed to expand upon previous work, including applying the base case flotation flowsheet to the nine (9) domain composites currently being used for the comminution testwork. The information will complement the comminution data and further constrain equipment sizing and other critical design criteria for the process plant. A specific focus will be placed on material which is expected to comprise the initial years of mine-life.
Variability testing is a critical component of flowsheet development and ensures that the process plant can handle the natural variability of the deposit mineralization. Some of this work has already been completed throughout the test programs over the past few years and include testwork on drill core at different locations within the deposit, as well as bulk sample material from surface outcrop.
Filtration
As part of the overall program, filtration testing will be completed on flotation concentrate and tailings to determine material handling and tailings management facility design. Tests will include static settling, vacuum, and pressure filtration and complement the preliminary filtration testing completed as part of the 2015 flotation pilot plant operation. The data collected will be used to determine the appropriate filtration methods and equipment sizing for operation at the process plant, as well as determine the optimal handling, transport, and storage methods for the concentrate and tailings.
The current flowsheet for the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit, developed by Hazen Research, uses conventional unit processes to produce a high-grade rare earth mineral (monazite) concentrate that is comparable to active global hard-rock REE producers. Specifically, the Ashram flowsheet utilizes a flotation - HCl leach - magnetic separation process approach to achieve high-grade (>40% REO) monazite concentrates at high recovery, similar in nature to those which are commonly processed globally today.
NI 43-101 Disclosure
Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo., Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a Permit holder with the Ordre des Géologues du Québec and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.
About Commerce Resources Corp.
Commerce Resources Corp. is a junior mineral resource company focused on the development of the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit located in Quebec, Canada. The Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally, with a specific focus on being a long-term supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide to the global market. The Ashram Deposit is characterized by simple rare earth (monazite, bastnaesite, xenotime) and gangue (carbonates) mineralogy, a large tonnage resource at favourable grade, and has demonstrated the production of high-grade (>45% REO) mineral concentrates at high recovery (>70%) in line with active global producers. In addition to being one of the largest rare earth deposits globally, Ashram is also one of the largest fluorspar deposits globally and has the potential to be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets.
For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.commerceresources.com or email info@commerceresources.com.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP.
"Chris Grove"
Chris Grove
President and Director
Tel: 604.484.2700
Email: cgrove@commerceresources.com
Web: http://www.commerceresources.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in 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 is 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, but are not limited to, statements regarding the progress of the Company's metallurgical program and any future methods employed therein, the Company's ability to reduce downstream processing costs and risk, the Company's ability to repeat and produce high-grade monazite concentrates, the Company's ability to become one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally as well as its potential ability to be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets. These forward-looking statements 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 that the methods proposed do not work as well as expected, the leach residue may not be usable, that the Company may experience difficulties producing concentrate or achieving an upgrade to the concentrate; changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of the 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 and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; that testing of the Company's process may not prove successful and even if tests are successful, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the availability of labour, equipment and markets 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 novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, also poses new risks that are currently indescribable and immeasurable. 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.
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不列顛哥倫比亞省温哥華/ACCESSWIRE/2021年9月28日/商業資源公司(TSXV:CCE)(FSE:D7H0)(OTCWX:CMRZF)(The“公司“或”商業“)很高興地宣佈,它已經啟動了一個選礦項目,以確定阿什拉姆稀土和螢石礦牀前端流程的最終預可行性研究(PFS)設計標準。該項目是與項目PFS流程設計的合格人員合作開發的,將在哈森研究公司(Hazen Research)實施,該公司的常規基礎流程就是在這裏制定的。
該計劃旨在確定選礦成分,以便建立PFS的前端流程圖設計。PFS下游濕法冶金流程的設計目前正在確認,這是正在進行的生產混合碳酸稀土精礦計劃的一部分,以滿足全球加工商的幾項要求(見2021年9月9日的新聞稿)。具體地説,選礦計劃將包括,
- 將學術和政府機構對浮選流程的改進納入公司由哈森研究開發的基本流程中。
- 進行最終浮選和磁選開發試驗,確定最佳藥劑組合和前端流程條件。
- 對在整個礦牀中收集的九(9)個鑽芯複合體進行第二階段粉碎可變性測試。
- 利用電疇複合材料對早、中期礦牀材料進行前端流程圖變異性測試。
- 對浮選精礦和尾礦進行過濾試驗,以確定物料搬運和尾礦管理設施設計。
公司總裁克里斯·格羅夫評論説:“公司通過過去在Hazen Research項目中的重點工作,以及通過我們的機構合作中的大量優化和發現(至今仍在繼續),極大地推動了流程圖的發展。隨着我們推進道場加油站的後期階段,現在是確認流程圖的加油站設計標準的時候了,這是推動研究完成的下一步。流程圖的開發仍然是一個從可行性到可行性的持續過程,通常會在運營過程中進行改進,因此,公司將繼續推進測試工作,並釋放出哈森和我們的冶金機構合作伙伴所概述的巨大的優化潛力。“
浮選和濕法強磁選(突發事件)
大約5噸等級為2.0%的稀土氧化物(REO)的阿什拉姆礦藏散裝樣品材料已被粉碎和研磨,用作試驗計劃的飼料。該計劃的最初重點將是將學術和政府機構團體的發現和進展納入基本流程圖,即CanmetMINING(加拿大自然資源-NRCan的一個分支機構)和UniversityéLaval,它們的測試計劃得到了各種省級和聯邦撥款計劃的支持。這些項目的成功包括大幅減少藥劑數量、替代藥劑套件以及提高更清潔階段浮選的回收率(見分別於2020年5月13日和2019年12月17日發佈的新聞稿)。一旦確定了工藝流程的浮選組分,並確定了最佳浮選藥劑方案和條件,將完成放大,其中可能包括額外的試驗。
浮選迴路設計確認後,磁選迴路將進一步改進和優化。磁選階段(WHIMS)的初步工作被證明是極其成功的,在非常高的階段回收率(高80度到中高90度)時具有很強的提質係數,從而生產出可與全球生產商媲美的高品位獨居石精礦(>40%稀土氧化物)。因此,還有很大的改進空間,這裏為磁分離階段計劃的測試工作將以該電路的進一步優化為目標,包括評估不同類型的磁選機設備。
粉碎和變化性
SGS Canada目前正在對九(9)個巖石單元領域複合材料進行二期粉碎測試,將包括邦德低能衝擊測試(CWI)、JK落重測試(DWT)、SAG磨機粉碎測試(SMC)、邦德棒磨機研磨性測試(RWI)、邦德球磨機研磨性測試(BWI)和邦德磨損測試(AI)。第二階段粉碎測試工作將補充2012年完成的近地表鑽芯交叉口第一階段工作(
作為整體計劃的一部分,可變性測試將在之前工作的基礎上完成,包括將基本情況浮選流程圖應用於當前用於粉碎測試工作的九(9)個領域複合材料。這些信息將補充粉碎數據,並進一步約束加工廠的設備尺寸和其他關鍵設計標準。具體的重點將放在預計將構成礦井壽命最初幾年的材料上。
可變性測試是流程圖開發的關鍵組成部分,可確保加工廠能夠處理礦牀礦化的自然可變性。其中一些工作已經在過去幾年的測試計劃中完成,包括在礦藏內不同位置的鑽芯測試工作,以及從地表露頭採集的大量樣品。
濾過
作為整體計劃的一部分,將對浮選精礦和尾礦進行過濾測試,以確定物料搬運和尾礦管理設施設計。測試將包括靜態沉降、真空和加壓過濾,作為2015年浮選中試運行的一部分完成的初步過濾測試的補充。收集的數據將用於確定加工廠運行的適當過濾方法和設備尺寸,以及確定精礦和尾礦的最佳搬運、運輸和儲存方法。
由Hazen Research開發的Ashram稀土和螢石礦牀目前的流程使用常規單元工藝生產可與活躍的全球硬巖稀土生產商相媲美的高品位稀土礦物(獨居石)精礦。具體地説,阿什拉姆流程採用浮選-鹽酸浸出-磁選流程,以高回收率獲得高品位(>40%REO)獨居石精礦,性質類似於當今全球普遍加工的獨居石精礦。
NI 43-101披露
Darren L.Smith,M.Sc,P.Geo,Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd.,魁北克Géologues du Québec許可證持有者,以及National Instrument 43-101定義的合格人士-礦產項目信息披露標準,監督了本新聞稿中技術信息的準備工作。
關於商業資源公司
商業資源公司是一家初級礦產資源公司,專注於開發位於加拿大魁北克的阿什拉姆稀土和螢石礦牀。該公司的定位是成為全球成本最低的稀土生產商之一,特別專注於成為全球市場混合碳酸稀土和/或NdPr氧化物的長期供應商。阿什拉姆礦牀的特點是簡單的稀土(獨居石、氟碳榴石、磷鎢礦)和脈石(碳酸鹽)礦物學,這是一種品位有利的大噸位資源,並證明瞭高品位(>45%REO)礦物精礦的生產,回收率高(>70%),與全球活躍的生產商一致。除了是全球最大的稀土礦藏之一,阿什拉姆也是全球最大的螢石礦藏之一,有潛力成為硬質石和酸石市場的長期供應商。
欲獲知更多信息,請訪問公司網站,網址:www.Commercial ceresources.com,或發電子郵件至info@Commercial ceresources.com。
我謹代表董事會
商業資源公司。
"克里斯·格羅夫"
克里斯·格羅夫
總裁兼董事
電話:604.484.2700
電子郵件:cgrove@Commercial ceresources.com
網址:http://www.commerceresources.com
多倫多證券交易所創業板交易所及其監管服務提供商(該術語在多倫多證券交易所創業板政策中定義)均不對本新聞稿的充分性或準確性承擔責任。
前瞻性陳述
本新聞稿包含前瞻性信息,這些信息會受到各種風險、不確定因素和其他因素的影響,這些因素可能會導致實際事件或結果與前瞻性陳述中預測的不同。本新聞稿中的前瞻性陳述包括但不限於有關該公司冶金項目的進展和其中採用的任何未來方法、該公司降低下游加工成本和風險的能力、該公司重複生產高品級獨居石精礦的能力、該公司成為全球成本最低的稀土生產商之一的能力,以及該公司成為金屬石和酸石市場長期供應商的潛在能力等的陳述,這些陳述包括但不限於:該公司冶金項目的進展和其中採用的任何未來方法;該公司降低下游加工成本和風險的能力;該公司重複生產高品級獨居石精礦的能力;該公司成為全球成本最低的稀土生產商之一的能力;以及該公司成為金屬石和酸石市場長期供應商的潛在能力。這些前瞻性陳述會受到各種風險、不確定因素和其他因素的影響,這些因素可能會導致實際事件或結果與前瞻性信息中預測的大不相同。可能改變或阻止這些陳述取得成果的風險包括:提議的方法沒有像預期的那樣有效,浸出殘渣可能無法使用,公司可能在生產精礦或實現精礦升級方面遇到困難;採礦和加工成本發生變化;資本成本增加;工作計劃的時間和內容;基於鑽探的地質解釋可能會隨着更詳細的信息而改變;潛在的工藝方法和礦物回收率假設基於有限的測試工作,並與被認為與進一步測試工作可能不可比的類似礦牀進行比較;對公司流程的測試可能不會被證明是成功的,即使測試成功,經濟和其他結果也可能不像預期的那樣;勞動力的可用性, 這些進展包括:生產產品的設備和市場;儘管項目目前預期可行,但條件發生了變化,使得我們財產上的礦物不能經濟開採,或者可以獲得建設和運營設想中的礦山所需的許可證。新型冠狀病毒新冠肺炎還帶來了目前無法形容和無法衡量的新風險。本文中包含的前瞻性信息是截至本文發佈之日的前瞻性信息,除非法律另有要求,否則公司不承擔更新或修改此類信息以反映新事件或新情況的責任。
資料來源:商業資源公司(Commerce Resources Corp.)
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