Rhino Resource Partners LLC (fka RHNO)

[amarksp]

Good progress at Aguablanca:
http://www.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/newsarticle.asp?guid={A7433D6C-5E4F-41E3-8EB1-8EFA03EE302D}&....
http://www2.ccnmatthews.com/database/fax/2000/rionarcea.pdf

"Engineering Performance Tests to be implemented by the Engineering/Construction contractor, Fluor Corporation, that are necessary for acceptance by the Company of the turn key plant, have not yet been undertaken. In order to complete these, the plant must run at approximately 90% of the design criteria used in the bankable feasibility study. The feasibility study provides for plant throughput of 125,000 tonnes per month or 195 tonnes per hour, recoveries of 82% nickel and 85% copper and concentrate grades of 8% to 9% nickel and 4% to 5% copper. Nickel concentrate grade and recoveries, while improving, are below design specifications but within saleable limits. Management remains confident design criteria as outlined in the feasibility study are achievable. "

Appears April production of 108 tonnes getting close to 125 tonnes per month feasibility acceptance rate.

"recoveries averaged 60% and 87% for nickel and copper, respectively, while concentrate grades averaged 6.0% nickel and 7.9% copper."

both April copper recovery % (87% vs 85%) and copper concentrate % (4.5% vs 7.9%) exceed the feasibility study.

nickel recovery % and concentrate % still need to be met to meet feasibility study acceptance rate:
feasibility = 82% recovery vs. April recovery of 60%
feasibility = 8.5% nickel concentrate vs. 6.0% April concentrate %