by Greg Klein | July 18, 2017
Encouraging metallurgical results have come early for 92 Resources’ (TSXV:NTY) Hidden Lake project. Preliminary beneficiation tests for the road-accessible Northwest Territories property suggest favourable liberation characteristics and “amenability to simple and conventional spodumene mineral processing methods,” the company announced July 18. The lab conducted five flotation tests on a composite sample from four pegmatites on the Northwest Territories project. A standard flowsheet was used.
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Backed by encouraging lab work, 92 Resources reactivates
its Hidden Lake camp this summer for another field program.
Results brought a “high-grade” spodumene concentrate of 6.16% LiO2 at 79% recovery, with an average spodumene lithium content of 3.8% lithium (or about 8.2% LiO2), close to the maximum theoretical limit, 92 Resources stated.
A low iron content also suggests the high quality of Hidden Lake spodumene. In a further advantage to mineral processing, the company added, tests confirmed the property’s dominant mica to be muscovite with low levels of lithium. Muscovite with high lithium levels “would dilute the lithium content of a final concentrate, as typically the lithium content would be significantly less than that of spodumene.”
“This initial work demonstrates the high-lithium/low-iron nature of the spodumene at Hidden Lake, as well as its favourable upgrading characteristics, both of which are highly attractive attributes of the project,” said president/CEO Adrian Lamoureux.
Phase II beneficiation tests will include magnetic separation, heavy liquid separation and further flotation on material collected during the upcoming summer field program.
Channel sampling last year tested four of the property’s six known lithium-bearing spodumene dykes, bringing assays up to 1.58% Li2O and 31 ppm Ta2O5 over 8.78 metres.
In January the company filed a 43-101 technical report for Hidden Lake. The 1,659-hectare property has year-round road access to Yellowknife, about 40 kilometres southwest.
92 Resources also keeps busy with its Golden frac sand project in eastern British Columbia, adjacent to Heemskirk Canada’s Moberly silica mine. Last month’s 10-day field program at Golden will provide data for a 43-101 technical report.
In northern Quebec, 92 Resources also holds the 5,536-hectare Pontax River lithium project.
The company closed an oversubscribed $895,199 private placement in February and received a $140,000 award under the NWT Mining Incentive Program in June to offset Hidden Lake expenditures.
