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Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV: SMY) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Alterra Resources Inc., announced successful metallurgical testing of Foxtrot project sample to recover a 55.48% TREO + Y2O3 product (46.99% TREE+Y) with overall average recovery of 78.8%.
Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV:SMY) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Alterra Resources Inc., announced successful metallurgical testing of Foxtrot project sample to recover a 55.48% TREO + Y2O3 product (46.99% TREE+Y) with overall average recovery of 78.8%.
As quoted in the press release:
Highlights:
• Mineralogy studies (QEMSCAN) have shown that the REE minerals in Foxtrot are Allanite, Fergusonite, Chevkinite, with minor Bastnasite/Synchysite and Monazite
• A 91.4 kg sample of Foxtrot was treated by gravity separation, flotation and magnetic separation to recover 35.2 kg of concentrate with REE recoveries of 81.4 to 83% and Y recovery of 83%.
• The combined concentrate was subjected to single stage acid baking and water leaching with up to 93-96% extraction of REE’s (La to Ho) to solution except for Er (91%), Tm (87%), Yb (80%) and Lu (68%). Dysprosium extraction was up to 94% and neodymium extraction was 96%.
• A combined water leach solution from a number of tests was treated by simple pH adjustment to precipitate iron, aluminum, silica and thorium with only ~1% loss of REE’s
• The purified solution was treated by standard oxalate precipitation to recover a mixed REE oxalate product analyzing 55.48% TREO + Y2O3 Product (46.99% TREE+Y). The recovery of REE’s to the product was approaching 100%.
• The mixed oxalate product was very low in impurities with only 6 ppm U and 282 ppm Th. This product is expected to be refined to separate REE oxides using conventional solvent extraction and precipitation technologies. The levels of U and Th are so low that there are believed to be no special restrictions on shipment of the mixed REE product.
• The overall average recovery (weighted) of REE’s from the original Foxtrot project sample to final product for refining was 78.8%.
• SGS Minerals Services have recommended that further optimization work be started as soon as possible to confirm and improve the excellent results obtained to date as well as to start pilot plant design testwork. Following optimization work, SGS Minerals Services have further recommended continuous metallurgical pilot plant studies. The continuous pilot plant results would be used to support pre-feasibility and feasibility study of the Foxtrot Project.
Search Minerals President Jim Clucas said:
“The Foxtrot success story continues from outstanding drill results to excellent metallurgical test results. The SGS recommendation to proceed quickly to continuous metallurgical pilot plant in keeping with the remarkable pace of development of this project.”
Click here to read the Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV:,SMY) press release
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