TIDMSRES
RNS Number : 6469P
Sunrise Resources Plc
04 September 2017
SUNRISE RESOURCES PLC
("Sunrise" or "the Company")
4 September 2017
TESTWORK UPDATE
CS POZZOLAN-PERLITE PROJECT, NEVADA
Sunrise Resources plc, the AIM-traded company focusing on the
development of its CS Pozzolan-Perlite Project in Nevada, USA, is
pleased to provide this interim update on testing of samples from
its recently completed trenching and drill programmes and the
further development of its pozzolan/perlite business.
Highlights
-- Preliminary testing of drill samples confirms:
Ø thick intervals of pozzolan and perlite-pozzolan previously
reported from visual observation of drill samples; and
Ø commercial qualities for the perlite and pozzolan.
-- Preliminary trench results show extensions of the Main Zone towards the Northeast Zone.
-- Pozzolan testwork moving on to more extensive external
certification, starting with the Tuff Zone samples.
-- Positive meetings held with potential customers in the USA -
cooperative test programmes planned.
Commenting today, Executive Chairman Patrick Cheetham said: "I
am pleased to report that our preliminary testing has confirmed the
visual observations that we reported on completion of our recent
drilling and that the trenching programme has indicated important
extensions to the Main Zone perlite and pozzolan. We have
prioritised pozzolan testing on the Tuff Zone and I am pleased to
report that the preliminary results show that, in all cases, the
pozzolan strength requirements of ASTM C618 required after 28 days
curing have been exceeded after only 7 days curing. We have
recently held positive meetings with a number of raw perlite and
pozzolan consumers and as a result we will now proceed to supply
initial samples for their internal evaluation whilst continuing our
own testwork programmes."
Further information
Sunrise Resources plc
Patrick Cheetham, Executive
Chairman Tel: +44 (0)1625 838 884
Northland Capital Partners
Limited
Nominated Adviser & Broker
Edward Hutton/David Hignell
John Howes/Rob Rees Tel: +44 (0)20 3861 6625
Beaufort Securities Limited
Joint Broker
Jon Belliss Tel: +44 (0)20 7382 8300
Detailed Information
Perlite and volcanic natural pozzolan share important features.
They are silica and aluminium rich volcanic rocks that, on
formation, were rapidly cooled or quenched such that
crystallisation did not take place and the rock has an amorphous
(non-crystalline) structure like glass.
Silica and aluminium in glassy rocks is reactive with lime and
water in a cement/concrete mix unlike that in crystalline rocks,
making such glassy rocks attractive as natural pozzolans.
Consequently, a perlite can be a natural pozzolan.
Perlite is, however, distinguished from some other glassy silica
and aluminium rich volcanic rocks by its higher water content
which, on rapid heating, is lost explosively causing an expansion
of the raw material to a useful lightweight industrial
material.
A glassy silica and aluminium rich volcanic rock that does not
have a significant water content cannot be a perlite but can still
be a good natural pozzolan.
Both pozzolan and perlite are used extensively as industrial
minerals globally and in the western United States where the CS
project is located (see "about" details below).
Geological Context
The completion of the recent drilling and trenching programme,
together with various phases of field mapping and reconnaissance
sampling, has increased our understanding of the geology of the CS
Project and the distribution of the volcanic deposits that have
commercial potential as perlite and/or pozzolan. These volcanic
deposits were developed in and around a rhyolitic (silica-rich)
volcano, the crystalline core of which lies to the west of the Main
Zone.
At the CS Project thick deposits of perlite have formed on the
margins of crystalline rhyolite lava flows in the inner parts of
the volcanic complex immediately east of the crystalline rhyolite
core. This perlite is well represented in the surface and in drill
holes in the Main Zone. Further out from the core, to the east and
northeast of the Main Zone, zones of "tephra" (semi-consolidated
fragmental material ejected from the volcano) formed as air fall
deposits, some of which was contaminated by silty material in water
courses and marginal lakes (Lahar) and is referred to here as silty
tuff. Mapping and reconnaissance sampling suggests the newly
discovered Northeast Zone is an extensive zone of tephra. In the
eastern part of the Main Zone perlitic flows are interbedded with
tephra deposits.
Still further away from the core of the volcano, finer grained
pyroclastic material fell to the ground to form volcanic tuffs - as
in the Tuff Zone.
All of the rocks in this volcanic complex were deposited on an
older basement of andesitic (less silicic) volcanic rocks.
The above features are illustrated in a new map added to the CR
Project page on the Company's website.
At the CS Project, the more distal tephra, tuffs and silty tuffs
are glassy, silica and aluminium rich and also contain a
significant water content. These features make them attractive as
good pozzolans but when compared to the Main Zone perlitic flows,
their perlitic properties may be compromised by a finer grain size,
a higher content of non-expandable material, especially where
contaminated by non-glassy silty material.
All Main Zone perlite encountered on surface, trenching and
drilling is being evaluated for perlite quality and pozzolanic
reactivity (strength) whereas the Tuff Zone is being tested
primarily as pozzolan with selected check samples for perlitic
expansion.
Mapping and reconnaissance sampling also suggests that some
areas of tephra in the Main Zone and the Northeast Zone appear to
be relatively coarse with minimal contamination and so require
testing for both perlite and pozzolan, but no drilling of these
areas has been carried out as yet. However, additional surface
samples were collected during the recent field programmes and are
now under evaluation.
Testing Programme
Drill Samples
Perlite testing is being carried out primarily at independent
laboratory In-Mat-Lab in Greece. Twenty-nine composite drill
samples have been submitted. Results are expected in the coming
months.
For testing quality control, and to obtain some early results,
seven duplicates sample were submitted to a second independent
perlite testing laboratory at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and
Mineral Resources (NMBGMR).
The NMBGMR results are now available and confirm that the thick
intervals of perlite previously reported from visual observations
in holes 17CSRC 2, 3 and 4 have good commercial properties. The
thinner perlite zone found in holes 5, 6 and 7, all drilled from
the same collar for structural information, is of lower quality as
a perlite but may still be a good pozzolan and is scheduled for
testing as such.
Twelve composite drill samples have been submitted to Magmatics
Inc. for pozzolan reactivity testing alongside samples from
trenching and surface mapping and general reconnaissance.
This reactivity (strength) testing programme is ongoing and it
is anticipated that testing of all samples currently in the testing
pipeline will be completed in 3-4 months time. However, four
composite samples representing the full thickness of the tuff
intersected in the Tuff Zone were prioritised in this testing
programme and interim results from these samples have now been
received.
These results show that, in all cases, the pozzolan strength
requirements of (1) ASTM C618 required after 28 days curing have
been exceeded after only 7 days curing. Twenty-eight day strengths
are not yet available but are expected to increase further.
The Tuff Zone is very large in area and drilling has now
demonstrated significant thicknesses of pozzolanic material
amenable to low cost open-pit mining without the use of explosives.
The Tuff Zone samples will now be subject to an accelerated
programme of external certification testing.
Trench Samples
The trenching programme tested speculative areas peripheral and
to the east and north of the Main Zone for occurrences of perlite
and pozzolan. 11 trenches were completed mainly in the transition
zone from perlite to tephra and in the tephra/silty tuff zones.
Samples were submitted to Magmatics Inc. for pozzolan testing
and In-Mat-Lab for perlite testing.
Details of the rock type encountered together with test results
summary are given in the table below.
All trench samples encountering perlite, tephra or tuff were
submitted for pozzolan testing. Interim results are available for
some of these samples as tabulated and, in all cases pass the 75%
strength against index (SAI) threshold required at 28 days curing
by ASTM C618 after only 7 days curing. Where pozzolan results are
awaited they will be reported when testing of all of the samples in
the testwork pipeline is completed.
Conventional (flow related) perlite was found in two trenches.
The perlite in Trench 2 testing showed good commercial
characteristics as did the tephra encountered in Trench 3. The
tephra and perlite found in Trench 8 appears to be of marginal
quality.
TRENCHING TESTWOK
UPDATE
Pozzolan
Test
Trench Rock 7 day Perlite
No. type SAI Test Comment
------- --------------- -------------- ---------------- --------------------------------
1 Andesite Not submitted Not submitted Basement Andesite
2 Perlite Pass Positive
3 Tephra Awaited Positive
4 Tephra Awaited Not submitted Indurated
Higher density and unexpanded
5 Tephra Pass Marginal material
Silty
6 Tuff Awaited Not submitted
Silty
7 Tuff Awaited Not submitted
Higher density and unexpanded
8 Tephra/Perlite Pass Marginal material
Silty Higher density, black
9 Tuff Awaited Negative spots.
Trench did not
10 Colluvium Not submitted Not submitted reach bedrock
11 Tephra Awaited Not submitted Indurated
Marketing
A series of meetings have recently been held with potential
customers for perlite and pozzolan in the USA.
The potential for new sources of perlite and pozzolan was well
received and arrangements are being made for samples from the CS
Project to be submitted to interested parties for their internal
laboratory testing. If this is successful, it may lead to bulk
sample trials.
ENDS
About Natural Pozzolan
Pozzolan is a cementitious material that can partially replace
ordinary Portland cement in cement and concrete mixes in amounts up
to 35%. Natural pozzolans, therefore, have strong "green"
credentials as the production of Portland cement is responsible for
5% of the global man-made carbon dioxide emissions with nearly one
tonne of carbon dioxide (CO(2) ) generated for each tonne of cement
produced. Natural pozzolans can also improve the strength and
chemical resistance of concrete. Natural pozzolans can also replace
industrial by-product pozzolans in cement such as coal fly ash. The
availability and quality of fly ash is under threat as coal-fired
power stations are phased out in favour of natural gas plants and
fly ash quality becomes more variable due to increased emission
control legislation.
About Perlite
Perlite is a glassy raw material which, when heated in a
furnace, pops like popcorn and expands by up to 20 times in volume
into a white or pale coloured, low density material. Expanded
perlite is used in various industrial and household applications
such as insulation, paint texturing, building materials, filter
aids, insulating industrial cryogenic storage vessels and as a
potting medium in gardening and horticulture to aid water retention
and aeration of the soil. Some perlites can also be used as a
natural pozzolan.
Notes:
1. ASTM International is a globally recognized leader in the
development and delivery of voluntary consensus standards. ASTM
C618 is the standard for natural pozzolan.
2. The news release may contain certain statements and
expressions of belief, expectation or opinion which are
forward-looking statements, and which relate, inter alia, to the
Company's proposed strategy, plans and objectives or to the
expectations or intentions of the Company's directors. Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other important factors beyond the control of the
Company that could cause the actual performance or achievements of
the Company to be materially different from such forward-looking
statements. Accordingly, you should not rely unduly on any
forward-looking statements and save as required by the AIM Rules
for Companies or by law, the Company does not accept any obligation
to disseminate any updates or revisions to such forward-looking
statements.
3. This announcement contains inside information.
4. The information in this release has been compiled and
reviewed by Mr. Patrick Cheetham (MIMMM, MAusIMM) who is a
qualified person for the purposes of the AIM Note for Mining and
Oil & Gas Companies. Mr. Cheetham is a Member of the Institute
of Materials, Minerals & Mining and also a member of the
Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy.
Shares in the Company trade on AIM. EPIC: "SRES". Website:
www.sunriseresourcesplc.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
DRLOKDDQPBKDCCK
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 04, 2017 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)
Sunrise Resources (LSE:SRES)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Sunrise Resources (LSE:SRES)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024