Excellent metallurgical results from Project Olza
VANCOUVER,
March 12, 2013 /CNW/ - Rathdowney
Resources Ltd. ("Rathdowney" or the "Company") (TSXV: RTH)
announces that a preliminary metallurgical test program on
mineralization from its Project Olza, located 70 km north west of
Krakow in Southern Poland has
returned excellent metallurgical results. Rathdowney's
Project Olza hosts Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) Zinc-Lead deposits
in Poland's historic Silesian
mining district where zinc-lead mining has taken place since the
12th century.
The preliminary test program was initiated at
SGS Mineral Services UK Ltd's test laboratory near Truro, Cornwall,
UK under the direction of Melis Engineering Ltd. A
bulk composite was prepared from the core of 25 holes from
Rathdowney's drilling at Olza. These holes represent the Olza
mineralization styles in proportion to their relative abundance in
the documented resource area. Sulphides present include sphalerite,
galena and marcasite.
An initial estimate of the mineral resources in
one portion of the MVT deposit at Olza was announced in
September 2012. The inferred
mineral resources are 21.2 Mt of 7.42% Zn+Pb at a 2.0% zinc
cutoff1. The average head grade of the
overall test composite was 6.1% Zn and 1.4% Pb for a combined head
grade of 7.5% Zn+Pb with 20 g Ag/t. The zinc and lead content of
the test composite are comparable to the September 2012 mineral resource.
The preliminary test program has returned the
following highlights on the overall composite tested:
- The Olza mineralization is relatively soft: the ball mill Bond
Work Index is 10.6 kWh/t.
- Using standard zinc and lead flotation conditions without any
upgrading ahead of flotation the following excellent results were
achieved in initial rougher and cleaner flotation tests:
-
- Zinc recoveries of greater than 90% to a zinc concentrate
assaying 55% to 60% Zn and containing 170 g Ag/t. Also, the zinc
concentrate is expected to be very low in iron, less than 1% Fe,
which provides some flexibility for future process design.
- Lead recoveries of 90% to a lead concentrate assaying 65% to
70% Pb and containing 50 g Ag/t.
- Approximately 85% of the silver is recovered in the zinc
concentrate and approximately 5% in the lead concentrate.
"We are delighted with these very positive
results from this first phase of metallurgical testwork for Project
Olza," said President and CEO John
Barry. "Historically zinc and lead recoveries and
concentrate grades from deposits within the Silesian District have
been excellent but this initial testing has exceeded even these
expectations. This testing also indicates we could generate
additional revenue from the silver in the Olza deposit."
Testwork is continuing to further optimize
flotation conditions and to prepare concentrate and tailings for
more detailed analysis.
As key established mine operations are set to be
taken offline over the medium term and zinc demand continues to
grow, zinc concentrate supply deficits are looming. With its
excellent location and geological potential, Rathdowney presents a
compelling investment opportunity among a small peer-group of
zinc-focused juniors.
About Rathdowney
Rathdowney Resources Ltd. is a mineral
exploration company focused on finding and developing the next
generation of zinc-lead-silver deposits in the ore fields of
Poland and Ireland. Rathdowney is associated with Hunter
Dickinson Inc. ("HDI") a diversified, global mine development
company with a 25-year history of mineral development success. From
its head office in Vancouver,
Canada, HDI applies its unique strengths and capabilities to
acquire, develop, operate and monetize mineral properties that
provide consistently superior returns to shareholders.
The metallurgical technical information in this
release has been reviewed by Lawrence
Melis, P.Eng, a Qualified Person as defined by NI
43-101.
John Barry
President & CEO
Sample preparation and analysis for exploration drilling at
Project Olza is done at ISO 17025:20 05 accredited Omac
Laboratories Ltd. (Stewart Group/ALS Laboratory Group) in Loughrea,
Ireland. All samples are assayed for zinc, lead and silver by
HNO3, KCLO4 and HBr and the final solution in
dilute Aqua Regia is determined by Inductively Coupled
Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP‐OES) finish. These three
elements and 42 additional elements are also determined for all
samples by 4 acid digestion, followed by ICP‐OES finish. As part of
a comprehensive QA/QC program, one standard and one replicate are
inserted into the sample stream in each group of 20 samples, as
well as one or more blanks in each analytical batch. |
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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 release includes certain statements that
may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this
release, other than statements of historical facts, that address
exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or
developments that the Company expects, are forward looking
statements. Although the Company believes the expectations
expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on
reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of
future performance and actual results or developments may differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and
exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties
related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and
title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in
government policies regarding mining and natural resource
exploration and exploitation, continued availability of capital and
financing, and general economic, market or business conditions.
Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees
of future performance and actual results or developments may differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
For more information on the Company, investors should review the
Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at
www.sedar.com.
1 Individual grades are 5.88% zinc and 1.54%
lead. For further details see Rathdowney News Release dated
September 11, 2012 and the Company's
technical report on the resource estimate filed at
www.sedar.com.
SOURCE Rathdowney Resources Ltd.