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#BRES Blencowe Resources PLC – Conversion of 600 tonnes bulk sample to Graphite Concentrate
Blencowe Resources is pleased to report it has completed a critical step in commercial scale testing, by converting 600 tonnes of in situ raw material into 30 tonnes of graphite concentrate. The 600 tonnes bulk sample conversion was undertaken by Jilin New Technology Graphite Co. (“Jilin”), a market leader in graphite processing, with results reconfirming the attractive qualities of Orom-Cross graphite.
Highlights:
· Commercial Scale delivery of concentrate: 600 tonnes of raw material shipped to China several months ago has now been successfully upgraded to 30 tonnes of 96% concentrate.
· Maintaining High Quality: testing indicates that the Orom-Cross concentrate delivered in this sample size maintains the same high quality as previous smaller scale tests.
· Bulk concentrate available: Blencowe now has substantial quantity of both large and small flake concentrate products to apply further testing for potential offtakers.
· Final Stage testing on Small Flakes: Leading SPG producer Qindao Taida Carbon Co Ltd (“Taida”) to beneficiate 20 tonnes of small flake concentrate into 10 tonnes of 99.95% uncoated SPG (spheronised purified graphite) over the next one month as the final step in the qualification process.
· Ongoing Tier-One Discussions: The bulk sample testing and qualification process is going to plan, with the end goal ultimately being offtake agreements with several tier one partners.
· Hurdle achieved for further DFC grant funds: The completion of this stage of the test work is one of the milestones for another tranche of DFC grant funding to be released shortly.
Jilin Concentrate
Jilin, who successfully completed a 100 tonne bulk sample for Blencowe in 2023, has now completed a 600t bulk sample to concentrates. Approximately 30 tonnes of concentrate has been produced, which represents a substantial sample size for the Company to use for ongoing trials at various offtakers, for both large and small flake products.
Test results indicate a very high quality 96% concentrate for small flake products and 96-97% concentrate for large flake products (+100mesh, +80mesh and +50mesh). The concentrate mix is 55/45 as small/large flakes.
Jilin has already highlighted its support for the larger flake Orom-Cross concentrate product by signing an MOU for 15,000tpa, which was announced to the market in May 2024.
Next Step: SPG Production
Work has now begun at one of the most experienced graphite beneficiation companies in the world, Qingdao Taida Carbon Co Ltd, to deliver 10 tonnes of high quality uncoated SPG product from the small flake concentrate. This has been successfully completed previously via smaller scale testing but this will be the first commercial scale delivery of SPG from Orom-Cross to provide necessary samples for high profile tier one offtakers to test in their own facilities. Once the OEM testing is completed by end of the June quarter Orom-Cross will effectively be qualified and have the ability to move to offtake agreements for all end products used in batteries.
Taida has been producing uncoated SPG for over two decades and has one of the most advanced facilities in China, and is generally regarded as one of the leading experts in anode-ready graphite products worldwide. Having Taida expertise manage Orom-Cross concentrate through to SPG is a key advantage as this company has the skill and prowess to deliver the best end results.
Blencowe is developing a broader graphite strategy to incorporate downstream processing in Uganda to deliver 99.95% SPG made in-country, and will be looking to include leading experts such as Taida within that strategy. This proposed facility would be the first commercial scale SPG operation outside of China and Blencowe would produce a valuable downstream product that other graphite mining peers cannot easily replicate. The Company will continue to provide updates as this strategy evolves.
Offtake Agreements
The process to complete all necessary metallurgical test work, including bulk sample testing, is a pre-requisite for all graphite miners that want to sell their end products into battery markets. End users are particularly discerning and will not consider offtake agreements until this work is adequately completed and qualification is therefore attained. Blencowe has been guided through this process by parties who have successfully completed this qualification previously, and using experts who understand the nuances of all the products, and how to get the best out of what Orom-Cross has to offer.
The end target is offtake agreements for 100% of the products that Blencowe will mine and process from Orom-Cross, and to achieve the highest quality that builds strong tier one relationships and delivers the highest prices. The Company is moving swiftly towards qualification and with that the potential for offtake partnerships with some of the leading brand names in this business.
Funding
The completion of the conversion of raw material into concentrate represents one of the milestones to allow for further DFC (Development Finance Corporation) grant funds to be released shortly.
Executive Chairman Cameron Pearce commented:
“We have highlighted this bulk sample test requirement as a key component of the Definitive Feasibility Study and we have undergone this process using some of the most experienced graphite producers in the world, and in doing so we have opened some interesting doors for additional value-add strategy. We will continue to press forward to get to our goal of having tier one offtake agreements in place as soon as possible for all of our end products, which will underline the unique status of Blencowe Resources as a standout graphite producer for the future.”
For further information please contact:
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Blencowe Resources Plc Sam Quinn |
www.blencoweresourcesplc.com Tel: +44 (0)1624 681 250 |
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Investor Relations Sasha Sethi |
Tel: +44 (0) 7891 677 441 |
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Tavira Financial Jonathan Evans |
Tel: +44 (0)20 3192 1733 |
Twitter https://twitter.com/BlencoweRes
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/72382491/admin/
Background
Orom-Cross Graphite Project
Orom-Cross is a potential world class graphite project both by size and end-product quality, with a high component of more valuable larger flakes within the deposit.
A 21-year Mining Licence for the project was issued by the Ugandan Government in 2019 following extensive historical work on the deposit and Blencowe is now within the Definitive Feasibility Study phase as it drives towards first production.
Orom-Cross presents as a large, shallow open-pitable deposit, with a maiden JORC Indicated & Inferred Mineral Resource deposit of 24.5Mt @ 6.0% Total Graphite Content. Development of the resource is expected to benefit from a low strip ratio and free dig operations, thereby ensuring lower operating and capital costs.
#FCM First Class Metals PLC – Sunbeam Property: High-Grade Gold Assay Results
First Class Metals PLC (“First Class Metals” “FCM” or the “Company”) the UK metals exploration company seeking large scale metal discoveries across its extensive Canadian Schreiber-Hemlo Sunbeam and Zigzag land holding is pleased to announce high-grade gold assays from channel sampling undertaken following the recently completed exploration at the Company’s 100% owned Sunbeam property (“the Property”).
The Property contains three subparallel mineralised structures, each identified over 10km traversing the property; these are inferred to continue to the northeast into the recently staked area where prospective structural features are inferred. FCM now commands a district scale land package of over 70km².
The Property hosts several sites of historic mine development and gold mining: the Sunbeam Mine, the Roy Development, and the Pettigrew Development. Multiple other gold occurrences are also known including the Road Zone, AL198 Zone, WN2 Occurrence and the Rubble Occurrence.
Given the discovery of significant gold within the tonalite to diorite porphyry which hosts the main mineralised structures across the property, First Class Metals will be moving swiftly to relog and assay core from previous drilling on the property for its potential gold endowment within any intervals of prospective porphyry which have not previously been assayed.
HIGHLIGHTS
· First Class Metals announced on 14 November 2023 the results from the Company’s recently completed channel sampling programme from the Roy prospect which confirmed high grade gold mineralisation in the vicinity of the old workings.
· Results from the stripping at Roy have confirmed high grade gold assays up to 18.8 g/t gold (Au) / 0.3m channel sample at Roy. Other highlights include:
o 6.27 g/t Au channel / 0.35m in mafic schist with quartz veinlets;
o 4.98 g/t Au channel / 0.5m in sheared porphyry; and
o 5.58g/t Au channel / 0.5m within a quartz vein.
· At Pettigrew channel and grab samples returned significant gold grades, including:
o 13.0 g/t Au grab sample from quartz rubble dug up beside the stripped outcrop.
o 3.5 g/t Au channel / 0.2m in a quartz vein with galena and chalcopyrite;
o 1.82 g/t Au channel / 0.75m in sheared porphyry; and
o 0.32 g/t Au channels / 3.95 m within sheared porphyry.
These results are considered very encouraging and typify this style of mineralisation.
· Mineralisation (up to 4.98 g/t Au over 0.5m) discovered in the porphyry at Roy which hosts the main mineralised structures has the potential to add a wider envelope (10m+) of alteration (silicification and ankeritisation) and gold mineralization. The discovery of gold within the sheared and altered porphyry could add significant upside to what was thought to be predominantly a high grade vein system hosted in mafic schist, from which the known historic production was mined.
· The reported historical drilling at Pettigrew was encouraging, with two holes returning significant gold assays including: Hole 57751: 19.4 g/t Au over 0.63m at 5.33m.
A further announcement will be made once the Company has decided on the most appropriate exploration programme to continue to advance the Company’s knowledge of the mineralisation at the Sunbeam Property. This is anticipated to culminate in drilling at Roy and Pettigrew.
Marc J Sale Chief Executive Officer commented: “Since we optioned Sunbeam in late 2022, we have made quick and significant progress in developing the Property both in terms of understanding the mineralisation and increasing its scale.”
“The channel results from Roy and Pettigrew are most encouraging and have identified drill targets at both locations. The auriferous porphyry hosing the shear zone at Roy and Pettigrew further enhances the significant potential that this Property can deliver.”
“As a result of the encouraging results from the recent stripping programs, FCM has staked 119 contiguous claims, along strike to the northeast I look forward to sharing further information on this Property, including our plans for the 2024 field season, as soon as possible.”
Background & Update
Since the announcement of the Sunbeam acquisition in early October 2022, FCM through Emerald Geological Services (EGS) have been working to advance the Property to drill ready status.
The pre-exploration phase included a review of historic core; however, recent work has identified the potential of the porphyry to host significant gold mineralisation, therefore further review of the Sunbeam (Nuinsco) core is now recommended with additional samples taken if warranted.
The Sunbeam Property is dominated by three mineralised structures, all of which host significant gold anomalism as well as historic development, including the Sunbeam high grade gold mine which operated until 1905 and reportedly produced multi ounce material.
In July 2021, Nuinsco reported grades up to 93.3g/t Au from a drill programme conducted predominantly in the vicinity of the Sunbeam Mine area. Significant results include:
o NS-21-01 – 3.98g/t Au over 0.6m (from 96.0m) within 3.39m of strongly gold anomalous deformation zone.
o NS-21-02 – 13.8g/t Au over 0.15m (from 80.85m) within 2.83m of strongly gold anomalous deformation zone.
o NS-21-03 – 93.3g/t Au over 0.44m (from 99.5m) within 3.19m of strongly anomalous deformation zone.
o NS-21-05 – 2.94g/t Au over 0.5m (from 118.5m) within 7.50m of strongly anomalous deformation zone.
Historical drilling at Pettigrew was also encouraging, with two holes returning significant gold assays including: Hole 57751: 19.4 g/t Au over 0.63m at 5.33m.
The Sunbeam Property contains three subparallel mineralised subparallel structures, each identified over 10km traversing the property; these are inferred to continue to the northeast into the new area of claims where prospective structural features are inferred. FCM now commands a district scale land package of over 70km².
Figure 1 showing the combined Sunbeam and English claims as well as the recent staking.
FCM has undertaken two stripping campaigns and the gold (Au) results from the second campaign at the Pettigrew zone are now available. Most of the samples were 1m in length or less, with a minimum of 0.2m and a maximum of 1.0 m. The Pettigrew results are similar to those from Roy, (previously reported) and have defined a broad zone of shearing, alteration, and mineralization, peaking at 3.5 g/t Au in channel samples and 13.0 g/t Au in grab samples (highest grade at Roy was 18.8 g/t Au).
Visible gold was identified in at least one sample at Roy during the sawn channel programme.
The results indicate the potential for both high-grade gold mineralization hosted in quartz veins and lower-grade gold mineralization hosted in sheared, altered porphyry or chlorite schist. Lithologies hosting the mineralization are often well-sheared and exhibit isoclinal or near-isoclinal folding.
Photo 1 Showing sheared mafic and felsic rocks hosting quartz veining. Note the Pettigrew shaft in the background.
At Roy there were a significant number of results exceeding 1ppm Au that define the anomalous structure over a strike of 100m between the existing shafts which remains open along strike. One sample of sheared porphyry reported 4.98ppm Au over 0.5m – as the porphyry is considered the host this is significant, as the potential mineralised package would be appreciably wider (10m+). FCM now intends to review the historic core again with the intention of sampling more of the porphyry hosting the mineralised shear zone.
At both Pettrigrew and Roy the high-grade gold mineralisation is hosted in quartz veining in sheared ‘mafics’ within a broader envelope of sheared, folded felsic to intermediate porphyry which often exhibits irregular quartz veining, silicification and ankerite alteration associated with up to 1% pyrite, and which also frequently contains anomalous gold concentrations as noted above.
Photo 2 showing quartz veining at Pettigrew containing galena (Pb) and chalcopyrite (Cu). The sample reported 3.5 g/t Au.
Photo 3 showing sheared, silicified and ankeritised porphyry with pyrite and quartz veining, 4.98 g/t Au / 0.5m channel.
Future work will focus on expanding the potential mineralisation with the sampling of any prospective porphyry.
The results from the channel sampling at Roy and Pettigrew, in conjunction with the encouraging geology encountered in the stripping at both locations (as well as the geology / geochemistry at the Sunbeam mine area) validate the Company’s efforts to bring the property to drill ready stage.
The ‘English claims have now been transferred 100% to First Class Metals Canada Inc. The Company now has 100% control of a potential district scale property block with multiple structures, hosting potentially high-grade gold bearing systems, extending over 72km². We believe this gives First Class Metals a true ‘District Scale’ gold project that could potentially host multiple significant gold deposits.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
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James Knowles, Executive Chairman |
07488 362641 |
|
|
Marc J Sale, CEO |
07711 093532 |
Novum Securities Limited
(Financial Adviser)
|
David Coffman/ George Duxberry |
www.novumsecurities.com |
(0)20 7399 9400 |
Qualified Person
The technical disclosures contained in this announcement have been drafted in line with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum standards and guidelines and approved by Marc J. Sale, who has more than 30years in the gold exploration industry and is considered a Qualified person owing to his status as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
#BRES Blencowe Resources PLC – Bulk Sampling Completed
Completion of 100t Bulk Sample underlines high quality graphite product from Orom-Cross
Highlights:
· Blencowe has now successfully completed critical pre-qualification metallurgical test work with 100t bulk sample works concluded in China.
· Commercial scale results continue to confirm that a high-grade, low impurity concentrate (95-97% TGC) can be delivered from Orom-Cross graphite project in Uganda.
· Increased coarse flake percentage of final mix, together with higher recoveries, will increment the overall weighted average selling price of the Orom-Cross basket of end products.
· Blencowe now has a considerably larger volume of concentrate product to send to potential end users for further pre-qualification testing.
· Positive feedback received from end users on Blencowe’s high-quality 95-97% TGC product with significant interest from established Chinese industry groups in progressing offtake arrangements.
Blencowe Resources Plc (“Blencowe” or the “Company”), is pleased to announce that additional metallurgical test work on its Orom-Cross graphite project in Uganda has now been completed by leading graphite technical specialist laboratory, Jilin New Technology (“Jilin”) based at Yanji in Northern China, following our recent update on 14 August 2023.
This metallurgical test work is critical to understanding the commercial scale process plant components, the quality of the end-product that Orom-Cross can deliver as a high-grade graphite concentrate as well as the flake sizing yield, and the operability of a process plant at Orom-Cross. The 100t bulk sample also provides significantly greater quantum of end product for end user testing which is critical for the Definitive Feasibility Study.
Executive Chairman Cameron Pearce commented:
“We are very pleased with these results from the 100 tonne bulk sample program. We utilized the services of a very experienced graphite plant operator at Jilin for the pilot testing as we believed this party’s extensive knowledge over decades in the industry would deliver superior net concentrate results, and I delighted to say they have delivered us a great outcome.”
Mr Pearce added: “We now have proof we can deliver a very high quality graphite concentrate from Orom-Cross on a commercial scale, which is a key DFS milestone. In parallel we are testing the upgrade of this concentrate to uncoated battery-ready 99.95% SPG (spheronised, purified graphite) and expandables as the next important step to significantly value-add our end products.
Finally, we also now have larger quantities of concentrate as bulk samples to deliver to potential buyers and engage with strategic groups. These groups can now proceed to test the concentrate and determine their level of interest for binding offtake agreements which will be crucial for our project financing. We believe these results will be attractive to a range of graphite consumers and that Orom-Cross can help deliver the shortfall of graphite expected in the market in the foreseeable future.”
Background to the Test Work
Blencowe commissioned Jilin New Technology in partnership with Wuhan University to undertake metallurgical test work on a 100t bulk sample which covered material from both the Northern Syncline and Camp Lode areas within Orom-Cross. The pilot plant program was designed to deliver the following objectives:
1. Confirm the commercial scale viability of processing the Orom-Cross ores.
2. Confirm a 95-97% TGC (Total Graphite Content) pure concentrate is possible with low impurities (in particular thorium and vanadium).
3. Confirm the laboratory testing models.
4. Confirm the liberation process in order to maintain a majority of Jumbo/XL/Large flakes within the concentrate.
5. Confirm the process flow diagram for the pilot plant design as part of the Definitive Feasibility Study.
6. Deliver significant quantum of bulk concentrate to allow Blencowe to initiate discussions with potential off-take partners.
Blencowe is pleased to announce that the pilot plant process has successfully delivered on all of the above objectives.
The optimisation of the process (on the basis of the previous laboratory testing) has been very successful with the pilot plant methodology further improved and able to deliver a shorter overall processing of the ore, whilst improving the metrics of the concentrate delivered.
A shorter processing cycle has the benefits of lower capital expenditure and lower operating costs, both of which will enhance the overall Orom-Cross project financials.
The streamlined processing design has also realised increased recoveries of the more valuable larger +50mesh flake from 6.5% to 9.5% yield (within overall basket of end products), whilst increasing overall large flake yield by approximately 2% and increasing overall concentrate recoveries to over 94%. Again, this will add further value to the project financials.
The additional metallurgical test work to date shows a robust flowsheet capable of repeatable metallurgy for a wide range of feed samples from Orom-Cross, which will now be used directly for reference in the actual concentrator engineering design for the Definitive Feasibility Study.