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Sparton
Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SRI) (the "Company") reported today
that initial leaching tests on coal ash from the Lincang germanium
area of Yunnan PRC have returned very encouraging results (see
news release dated January 3, 2008). Using sulphuric and nitric
acid leaching tests, the amount of uranium recovered into solution
from small samples of ash taken from the Tianhao waste piles varied
from 70-80%. Sparton has an agreement with Tianhao to test and
ultimately extract uranium from the Tianhao waste deposits which are
estimated to contain over 450,000 tonnes of ash material.
Tianhao is a local company which controls the Lincang area
government waste ash produced by other local germanium operations.
It reprocesses this waste ash for secondary germanium recovery.
The current test work was done by a local Yunnan laboratory and
duplicate samples are currently being tested by the Company process
engineering consultants Lyntek Inc of Denver Colorado USA.
Testing Results
Initial ash sample uranium content: 281 ppm U (approximately 0.73
lbs U3O8 per tonne)
Size fraction: 80% minus 100 microns
Recovery with 5% sulphuric acid after 2 hour leach test: 70% of
uranium into solution
Recovery with 10% nitric acid after 2 hour leach test: 80% of
uranium into solution
Sulphuric acid consumption: approximately 250 Kg per tonne at 5%
strength.
Lime content of ash: 3%
Discussion
These results are very encouraging and are considered preliminary
in nature. Further work is being done to increase the leaching
efficiency and will involve using different acid strengths and also
column testing of agglomerated ash to simulate heap leach
conditions. The low acid consumption is also considered a positive
factor and is consistent with the low lime content of the material.
The results are also consistent with historical information on
recoveries from this material when uranium was produced from Lincang
area waste ash in the 1970's by the Production Bureau of the China
National Nuclear Corporation. The laboratory involved has been in
operation for approximately 20 years and is recognized as the
leading analytical facility in the area. The results of Lyntek test
work currently under way will use similar test methods and expand on
these tests based on the results reported here.
Business Licences Received
As indicated in previous new releases Sparton has organized the
operating structure for uranium production in Yunnan and at Lincang
in an environmental solutions company WOFE (Wholly Owned Foreign
Enterprise ) and a joint venture company with the ARCN the branch of
the China National Nuclear Corporation. Business Licences have now
been received for both companies paving the way for completion of
the final operating structure to begin uranium production. The rapid
issuance of these licences has received the full support or both the
Provincial Yunnan and local Lincang are governments who are anxious
to see the commencement of the environmental cleanup of radioactive
waste material in the area using the Company's patented technology.
Future Plans
Longer term testing work will involve larger samples and samples
taken from other parts of the various waste piles in the Lincang
area. It is anticipated that advanced bulk sampling and uranium
oxide recovery programs leading to a scoping or prefeasibility level
report will be the main focus of this work and are expected to be
completed by year end 2008. Sparton is very encouraged with these
results as they support the historical information indicating that
significant amounts of uranium oxide were produced historically from
waste ash from the Lincang area.
New results will be reported when available.
Sparton's international exploration and evaluation programs are
being carried out under the direct supervision of A. Lee Barker, P.
Eng., P Geol., the Company's President and CEO who is a Qualified
Person under National Instrument 43-101. |