TIDMIRR
RNS Number : 4278A
IronRidge Resources Limited
21 January 2020
21 January 2020
High Purity Battery Grade Lithium Produced from Ewoyaa Spodumene
Concentrate
Lithium Carbonate 99.92% & Lithium Hydroxide 56.5%
Ewoyaa Project - Cape Coast Lithium Portfolio
Ghana, West Africa
IronRidge Resources Limited (AIM: IRR, 'IronRidge' or the
'Company'), the African focussed minerals exploration company, is
pleased to announce that successful battery grade lithium
conversion trials were conducted on coarse spodumene concentrate
samples taken from the Ewoyaa Lithium Project within the Cape Coast
Lithium Portfolio in Ghana, West Africa (refer RNS of 20 August
2019).
HIGHLIGHTS:
Ø Coarse spodumene concentrate containing 6.3% Lithium Oxide
('Li(2) O') from preliminary beneficiation testing sent to ANSTO
for sighter conversion tests
Ø Greater than 99% conversion of alpha spodumene to acid soluble
beta spodumene was achieved in the critical calcination stage
Ø Lithium carbonate at a grade of 99.92% Lithium Carbonate
('Li(2) CO(3) ') was produced, which exceeds most published
specifications for battery grade quality
Ø High purity battery grade lithium hydroxide containing 56.5%
Lithium Hydroxide ('LiOH.H(2) O') was produced from the carbonate
via the conventional hybrid route
Figures and Tables referred to in this release can be viewed in
the PDF version available via this link:
http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/4278A_1-2020-1-21.pdf
Commenting on the Company's latest progress, Noel O'Brien,
Consulting Metallurgist to IronRidge, said:
"These results very clearly demonstrate that, due to the coarse
size and low impurity content of the concentrate, the Ewoyaa
Lithium Project is a world class asset and is a premium feedstock
for converters around the world."
Adding to this, Vincent Mascolo, CEO/MD of IronRidge Resources
said:
"We are very pleased to have achieved these conversion test work
results which demonstrate the Ewoyaa Project's ability to generate
battery grade lithium products from premium feedstock.
"These results are another significant milestone which
underscore the commercial potential of the Project, which also
boasts exceptional logistics; adjacent multiple high-voltage power
lines, sealed roads and lies within 110km of the operating deep sea
port of Takoradi, all within a the pro-mining jurisdiction of
Ghana".
"Whilst the Ewoyaa Project continues to deliver encouraging
results, the Company is working towards releasing its Maiden
Resource Estimate for Q1 2020, and will continue with project
studies and regional exploration programmes."
Conversion Tests
The initial calcination tests were very successful with over 99%
conversion of alpha to the acid soluble beta form of spodumene
being achieved, from which high quality 99.92% lithium carbonate
and 56.5% lithium hydroxide monohydrate were formed.
A 9.5 kg sample of concentrate was sent to the laboratories of
the Minerals Division of Australian Nuclear Science and Technology
Organisation, ('ANSTO'), in Sydney, for the sighter conversion
tests. ANSTO were commissioned by IronRidge to complete a sighter
programme that would demonstrate that the Ewoyaa concentrate could
be converted to lithium hydroxide using a conventional hybrid
process flowsheet, based on the conversion of refined lithium
carbonate to hydroxide (refer Figure 1).
The concentrate sample had a size of 6.3 to 0.5mm and contained
6.29% Li(2) O, 1.07% Iron (III) Oxide ('Fe(2) O(3) '), 0.83%
Potassium Oxide ('K(2) O') and 0.65% Sodium Oxide ('Na(2) O').
Outcomes:
Calcining
The first phase of the conversion process involves calcining the
concentrate to affect a solid state change of alpha spodumene to
the acid soluble form, beta spodumene. The concentrate was calcined
at 1050(o) C for 2 hours and cooled to 150(o) C. At this stage no
signs of fusion were observed.
Subsequent X-Ray Diffraction ('XRD') analysis, after milling to
p100 = 250 microns, showed virtually complete conversion of alpha
to beta phase under laboratory conditions. This is the most
critical phase of the conversion process and the result
demonstrated that Ewoyaa concentrate would be preferred by
downstream processors because of coarse size of concentrate and low
levels of impurities.
Carbonate
The calcined material was roasted in sulphuric acid, leached in
water, purified and converted to lithium carbonate using sodium
carbonate (refer Figure 3). The primary carbonate was dissolved as
lithium bicarbonate and further refined by recrystallisation.
The resulting refined carbonate product exceeded most commercial
specifications for battery grade carbonate and would therefore be
an excellent feedstock for the preparation of lithium hydroxide via
the hybrid route (refer Table 1).
It was particularly pleasing to note that the critical impurity
levels of Silica ('Si') and Calcium ('Ca') in the carbonate were
already below the hydroxide requirements of 30ppm and 15 ppm
respectively.
Hydroxide
The remaining mass of refined lithium carbonate was used to test
the production of lithium hydroxide. Due to the limited amount of
sample available, a single batch test was done without final
refinement by ion exchange (IX) and lithium hydroxide monohydrate
with a high purity and grade of 56.5% was produced (refer Figure
4).
This will be the focus of larger scale testing in the future as
more definitive metallurgical testing progresses, but the testing
to date has highlighted the:
-- Superior quality of Ewoyaa concentrate and its suitability
for the critical calcination step in the conversion process
-- Production of lithium carbonate of very high quality that
exceeds all impurity limits in terms of hydroxide production.
Next Steps
The Company is working towards releasing its Maiden Resource
Estimate for Q1 2020 and will continue with project studies and
regional exploration programmes.
The Board is delighted with the progress that the Company has
made in 2020 to date and looks forward to keeping shareholders
updated as further news becomes available.
Certain information contained in this announcement would have
been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of
Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this
announcement.
For any further information please contact:
IronRidge Resources Limited Tel: +61 (0)7 3303 0610
Vincent Mascolo (Chief Executive Officer)
Karl Schlobohm (Company Secretary)
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP Tel: +44 (0)20 3470 0470
Nominated Adviser
Jeff Keating
Charlie Bouverat
SI Capital Limited
Company Broker
Nick Emerson Tel: +44 (0) 1483 413 500
Jon Levinson Tel: +44 (0) 207 871 4038
Yellow Jersey PR Limited Tel: +44 (0)20 3004 9512
Harriet Jackson
Dominic Barretto
Henry Wilkinson
Competent Person Statement:
Information in this report relating to the exploration results
is based on data reviewed by Mr Lennard Kolff (MEcon. Geol., BSc.
Hons ARSM), Chief Geologist of the Company. Mr Kolff is a Member of
the Australian Institute of Geoscientists who has in excess of 20
years' experience in mineral exploration and is a Qualified Person
under the AIM Rules. Mr Kolff consents to the inclusion of the
information in the form and context in which it appears.
The information in this announcement that relates to
metallurgical results is based on information compiled by Mr Noel
O'Brien, Director of Trinol Pty. Limited. Mr O'Brien is a Fellow of
the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and
has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of
mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the
activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person
as defined in the December 2012 edition of the "Australasian Code
for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore
Reserves" (JORC Code). Mr O'Brien consents to the inclusion in the
report of the matters based upon the information in the form and
context in which it appears.
Notes to Editors:
IronRidge Resources is an AIM-listed, Africa focussed minerals
exploration company with a lithium pegmatite discovery in Ghana,
extensive grassroots gold portfolio in Cote d'Ivoire and a
potential new gold province discovery in Chad. The Company holds
legacy iron ore assets in Gabon and a bauxite resource in
Australia. IronRidge's strategy is to create and sustain
shareholder value through the discovery and development of
significant and globally demanded commodities.
Ghana
The Company entered into earn-in arrangements with Obotan
Minerals Limited, Merlink Resources Limited, Barari Developments
Limited and Joy Transporters Limited of Ghana, West Africa,
securing the first access rights to acquire the historical
Egyasimanku Hill spodumene rich lithium deposit, estimated to be in
the order of 1.48Mt at 1.67% Li2O and surrounding tenements. The
portfolio covers some 684km(2) with the newly discovered Ewoyaa
project including drill intersections of 128m @ 1.21% Li2O from 3m
and 111m @ 1.35% Li2O from 37m, and a further identified 20km
strike of pegmatite vein swarms. The tenure package is also highly
prospective for tin, tantalum, niobium, caesium and gold, which
occur as accessory minerals within the pegmatites and host
formations.
Chad
The Company entered into an agreement with Tekton Minerals Pte
Ltd of Singapore concerning its portfolio covering 900km(2) of
highly prospective gold and other mineral projects in Chad, Central
Africa. IronRidge acquired 100% of Tekton including its projects
and team to advance the Dorothe, Echbara, Am Ouchar, Nabagay and
Kalaka licenses, which host multiple, large scale gold projects.
Trenching results at Dorothe, including 84m @ 1.66g/t Au (including
6m @ 5.49g/t & 8m @ 6.23g/t), 4m @ 18.77g/t Au (including 2m @
36.2g/t), 32m @ 2.02g/t Au (including 18m @ 3.22g/t), 24m @ 2.53g/t
Au (including 6m @ 4.1g/t (including 2m @ 6.2g/t) and 2m @
6.14g/t), 14.12g/t Au over 4m, 34.1g/t over 2m and 63.2g/t over 1m,
have defined significant gold mineralised quartz veining zones over
a 3km by 1km area including the steep dipping 'Main Vein' and
shallow dipping 'Sheeted Vein' zones.
Côte d'Ivoire
The Company entered into conditional earn-in arrangements in
Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa; securing access rights to highly
prospective gold mineralised structures and pegmatite occurrences
covering a combined 3,584km(2) and 1,172km(2) area respectively.
The projects are well located within access of an extensive bitumen
road network and along strike from multi-million-ounce gold
projects and mines.
Australia
Monogorilby is prospective for province scale titanium and
bauxite, with an initial maiden resource of 54.9MT of premium DSO
bauxite. Monogorilby is located in central Queensland, within a
short trucking distance of the rail system leading north to the
Port of Bundaberg. It is also located within close proximity of the
active Queensland Rail network heading south towards the Port of
Brisbane.
May Queen is located in Central Queensland within IRR's wholly
owned Monogorilby license package and is highly prospective for
gold. Historic drilling completed during the 1980s intersected
multiple high-grade gold intervals, including 2m @ 73.4 g/t Au
(including 1m at 145g/t), 4m @ 38.8g/t Au (at end of hole) and 3m @
18.9g/t Au, over an approximate 100m strike hosting numerous
parallel vein systems, open to the north-west and south-east.
Gabon
Tchibanga is located in south-western Gabon, in the Nyanga
Province, within 10-60km of the Atlantic coastline. This project
comprises two exploration licenses, Tchibanga and Tchibanga Nord,
which cover a combined area of 3,396km(2) and include over 90km of
prospective lithologies and the historic Mont Pele iron
occurrence.
Belinga Sud is Located in the north east of Gabon in the
Ogooue-Ivindo Province, approximately 400km east of the capital
city of Libreville. IRR's licence lies between the main Belinga
Iron Ore Deposit, believed to be one of the world's largest
untapped reserves of iron ore with an estimated 1bt of iron ore at
a grade >60% Fe, and the route of the Trans Gabonese railway,
which currently carries manganese ore and timber from Franceville
to the Port of Owendo in Libreville.
Corporate
IronRidge made its AIM debut in February 2015, successfully
securing strategic alliances with three international companies:
Assore Limited of South Africa, Sumitomo Corporation of Japan and
DGR Global Limited of Australia. Assore is a high-grade iron,
chrome and manganese mining specialist. Sumitomo Corporation is a
global resources, mining marketing and trading conglomerate. DGR
Global is a project generation and exploration specialist.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the
London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct
Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United
Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution
of this information may apply. For further information, please
contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
END
MSCEAKFFAEDEEEA
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 21, 2020 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)
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