Strongbow Engages Engineering Firms for Water Treatment Plant Design at the South Crofty Tin Project, Cornwall, UK

Strongbow Exploration Inc. (TSXV:SBW) , (“Strongbow” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that Siltbuster Process Solutions Ltd. (“SPS”) and Nomenca Ltd. (“Nomenca”) have been engaged to undertake Process Specification and Outline Design Works for a water treatment plant at Strongbow’s South Crofty project located in Cornwall, UK. Strongbow successfully completed water treatment trials in March 2017 and subsequently has submitted an application to the Environment Agency for a mine water discharge permit. Upon receipt of the water discharge permit, the project will be fully permitted.
The water treatment plant will be designed to treat 25,000 cubic metres of mine water per day and enable dewatering of the mine workings in the South Crofty project area.
Richard Williams, the Company’s CEO, commented:
“This is an important step in the development of our South Crofty project and will enable Strongbow to begin construction of the water treatment plant, subject to financing, as soon as we receive the discharge permit from the Environment Agency. The Company expects to receive the discharge permit later this year, and commence dewatering of the mine in the first half of 2018, as planned.”
SPS, based in Monmouthshire, UK, was responsible for overseeing the recent successful water treatment trials at South Crofty. SPS has extensive experience in the design, construction and operation of mine water treatment plants, including plants at Wheal Jane, Hemerdon, Dawdon (all in the UK) and Strieborná in Slovakia. SPS will be responsible for providing the process specifications for the plant and the outline design. They will also provide technical support during the detailed engineering and construction phases and be responsible for commissioning the plant.
Nomenca, based in St. Austell, UK is a subsidiary of North Midland Construction Plc and operates in a variety of industries as a specialist Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Control and Automation (MEICA) Contractor providing consultancy services, design and construction, operation and maintenance of assets. Nomenca has extensive experience in both the mining and water treatment sectors having undertaken multiple projects for Imerys, Wolf Minerals and South West Water. Nomenca will initially be undertaking target costing and outline design works for the treatment plant, which is expected to lead into the detailed engineering and construction phases.
About South Crofty
The South Crofty project includes a past-producing underground tin mine located in Cornwall, UK. Mining in the area dates back approximately 400 years. Mining at South Crofty ceased in 1998, following 13 years of sustained low metal prices. The South Crofty project has a valid mine permit (until 2071) with surface and underground planning permissions.
Strongbow acquired South Crofty in July 2016 and has since published a NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate, see report for details, and a Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) on February 16, 2017. The mine is presently flooded but recent water treatment trials have demonstrated that the water can be successfully treated to a quality sufficient to permit safe dewatering of the mine. A water discharge permit application was lodged with the Environment Agency in April 2017 and is expected to be awarded in September 2017, which should enable mine dewatering to commence in Q2 2018.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Richard D. Williams, P.Geo
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” including but not limited to statements with respect to Strongbow’s ability and the timing to obtain an increase to the water discharge permit for the South Crofty tin project, the estimated time required to complete mine dewatering, the design and treatment capabilities of the proposed water treatment plant and technical assumptions included in the PEA.
No assurances can be given that mining of the South Crofty project will be technically or economically viable. Such estimates are expressions of judgment based on knowledge, mining experience, analysis of drilling results and industry practises. Valid estimates made at any given time may significantly change when new information becomes available. While the Company believes that the resource estimates included in the NI 43-101 technical report prepared for the South Crofty project are well established, by their very nature, resource estimates are imprecise and depend, to a certain extent, upon statistical inferences which may ultimately prove unreliable. If such estimates are inaccurate or are reduced in the future, this could have a material adverse impact on the Company.
Forward-looking statements, while based on management’s best estimates and assumptions, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to receipt of regulatory approvals, the successful integration of acquisitions; risks related to general economic and market conditions; risks related to the availability of financing; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; actual results of proposed exploration activities; possible variations in Mineral Resources or grade; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry; changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations.
Although Strongbow has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Strongbow undertakes no obligation or responsibility to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.