Plateau Energy Metals Inc. (“Plateau” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: PLU | OTCQB: PLUUF) is pleased to announce the completion of the Phase II metallurgical test work program for its Falchani lithium project (“Falchani”) at ANSTO Minerals (“ANSTO”) laboratories. Working alongside ANSTO were DRA Global (“DRA”), the lead for the upcoming Falchani preliminary economic assessment (“PEA”) and M.Plan International Limited (“M.Plan”), owner’s team advisor for Falchani.
Following extensive test work on multiple up-front process steps, two preferred routes – tank leaching and sulfation baking – have been selected to focus on the extraction of lithium from the Falchani mineralized material. Specific flowsheets have been developed and tested for both process routes and have shown that a high purity lithium carbonate chemical product (“LC” or “Li2CO3”) can be produced from each.
Highlights
“We took the time to conduct a thorough and robust analysis of Falchani mineralization over the past eight months as a build up to our pending PEA,” Alex Holmes, CEO of Plateau, commented. “We have been working closely with ANSTO, DRA and M.Plan to identify areas for potential optimization, some of which will be incorporated into the upcoming PEA. Further, the test work demonstrated the ability to reduce impurities to extremely low levels and produce a high value end-product at site, in Peru. Capturing most of the value chain will be one key differentiator for Falchani.”
Trade-off Study
The trade-off study is complete and utilized iterative results of the metallurgical test work over the past couple of months. Following receipt of the final results, the trade-off study focused on both the tank leach and sulfation bake up-front process steps. The downstream purification and precipitation steps employed with each of the up-front process options are similar. It was determined that, at present, the tank leach option will be the focus of the base case for the pending PEA. However, future optimization work will continue to examine the tank leach, sulfation bake and roasting process routes, as well as other potential by-product streams.
Next Step
The PEA has been advancing in parallel with the metallurgical work program and trade-off study. The complete metallurgical work program and some optimization opportunities identified by M.Plan, ANSTO and DRA will be incorporated into the PEA expected in a few weeks.
Metallurgical Work Program Results
Tank Leach (95 °C)
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fed51a0b-b1e0-494f-9e43-6b2d8fa33df0
Table 1: Lithium Carbonates – Tank Leaching vs Sulfation Baking/Volatilisation vs Livent Material
Process Option | Tank Leaching | Bake/Volatilisation | Livent Battery Grade |
LC Purity (%) | 99.74 | 99.82 | 99.5 |
Element | ppm | ppm | ppm |
Al | 9.9 | 2.5 | 10 |
As | 2.5 | 2.5 | |
B | 17 | 2.5 | |
Ca | 293 | 31 | 400 |
Cr | 2.5 | 2.5 | |
Cs | 2.5 | 0.3 | |
Cu | 2.5 | 2.5 | 5 |
Fe | 2.5 | 4.0 | 5 |
K | 248 | 81 | |
Mg | 2.5 | 2.5 | |
Mn | 2.5 | 2.5 | |
Mo | 2.5 | 2.5 | |
Na | 467 | 594 | 500 |
Ni | 2.5 | 2.5 | 6 |
P | 16 | 29 | |
Pb | 2.5 | 2.5 | |
Rb | 3.0 | 0.3 | |
S | 429 | 215 | |
SO4 | 1285 | 645 | 1000 |
Si | 25 | 13 | |
Sr | 4.3 | 2.5 | |
U | 2.5 | 0.3 | |
Zn | 5 | 2.5 | 5 |
F | 6.2 | 7.5 | |
Bolded figures are less than values; ppm = mg/kg. Source: ANSTO |
Sulfation Baking (200 °C)
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f0a9b8fa-832d-4ed0-968b-9b4c18ca4499
Roasting (900 °C)
Future Optimization Potential
ANSTO and DRA Global have identified several areas for future optimization of the work program results, including:
ANSTO utilized a 220 kg bulk sample of mineralized material representative of the lithium-rich tuff from the Falchani project area to conduct the metallurgical programs. Further information about the metallurgical work programs conducted on the Falchani lithium-rich mineralization is available in the Company’s October 4, 2018 press release.
Investor Relations Advisor
Plateau is also pleased to announce that it has engaged strategic investor relations advisory firm, RADIUS IR (“RADIUS”), to assist the Company with US-based investor awareness initiatives. The Company will compensate RADIUS US$4,500 for an initial term of 45 days of service.
Qualified Person
Doug Collier (FAusIMM) of ANSTO Minerals, an Independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.
About ANSTO Minerals
ANSTO Minerals is an Australian government owned international mining consultancy group located in Sydney, Australia, with an experienced team of 60+ engineers, metallurgists, chemists, and scientists who have been providing consulting services and process development services to the mining and minerals processing industries for well over 35 years. ANSTO has world-leading expertise in uranium mineralized material processing, rare earth processing, zirconium/niobium/hafnium processing, base metals processing, lithium processing (brines and hard rock), and radioactivity control and management.
About M.Plan
M.Plan International Limited is a joint venture between two internationally recognized consulting companies, Micon International Limited and Dorfner Anzaplan GmbH, combining their expertise in global geological and mining consulting with analytics, processing and engineering with significant experience in the battery metals sector.
M.Plan has deep project experience in the specialty minerals and metals sector, from initial mineral resource estimation through to process design, engineering design and project development. M.Plan and its joint venture owners have been involved in several lithium projects globally and hundreds of development studies in the mining sector, including independent lenders’ engineer assignments and as due diligence lead for multiple European and North American capital providers.
About DRA Global
DRA Global is a diversified global engineering, project delivery and operations management group, with an impressive track record spanning more than three decades. DRA, through its wholly owned subsidiary DRA Met-Chem, based in Montreal, as well as their regional offices in Perth and Cape Town, possess significant lithium process and metallurgical experts who are able to identify and develop the process requirements, through flowsheet development to the selection of process equipment, in order to minimize costs and ensure overall plant efficiency.
About RADIUS IR
RADIUS is a full-service investor relations firm leveraging 18 years of experience providing strategic awareness across all investor mediums from road show events to daily outreach targeting its institutional, retail, and media networks. More information about RADIUS can be found on their website.
About Plateau Energy Metals
Plateau Energy Metals Inc., a Canadian exploration and development company, is enabling the new energy paradigm through exploring and developing its Falchani lithium project and Macusani uranium project in southeastern Peru. The Company, with mineral concessions covering over 93,000 hectares (930 km2), controls all reported uranium mineral resources known in Peru and has significant and growing lithium mineral resources, all of which are situated near infrastructure.
For further information, please contact: | ||
Plateau Energy Metals Inc. | ||
Alex Holmes, CEO & Director | Facebook: | www.facebook.com/pluenergy/ |
+1-416-628-9600 | Twitter: | www.twitter.com/pluenergy/ |
IR@PlateauEnergyMetals.com | Website: | www.PlateauEnergyMetals.com |