Our "partner" and neighbor Nemaska hiring a mining engineer and moving closer to actual mining. The dots are being connected.
QUEBEC, QUEBEC, Sep 19, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Nemaska Exploration Inc. ("Nemaska" or "the Company") /quotes/zigman/581507 CA:NMX +2.50% (otcqx:NMKEF)(frankfurt:NOT) is pleased to provide an update on the Whabouchi project, for which the most recent resource estimate confirms a total of 25,078,000 tonnes of spodumene grading 1.54% Li2O (report prepared by Mr. Andre Laferriere, M.Sc. P.Geo and dated July 1, 2011).
Filing of the Notice of Project before the COMEV (Environmental Assessment Committee of Northern Quebec Projects)
The Company confirms that is has filed before the COMEV, a notice of project concerning the intention to open and operate a mine producing 1,000,000 tonnes per year, with initial mining reserves of 20,000,000 tonnes, expected mine life of 20 years, and production of 202,000 tonnes per year of spodumene concentrate (lithium oxide, Li2O " the Project ". The firm EnviroCri of Rouyn-Noranda, under the management of Mrs. Anne Lamontagne, P. Eng, Ph.D, was awarded the mandate to manage the environmental aspects of the Project and to obtain the permits required. The environmental study will be completed during the month of September. An initial base line environmental study was completed in August 2010 by Genivar Inc.
Definitive Feasibility Study
In parallel, the Company has mandated BBA Inc., of Montreal to conduct the definitive feasibility study for the Project (The Feasibility study). The Feasibility study is under the supervision of Mr. Yves Dessureault, Eng, Ph. D, MBA as BBA's project manager.
BBA inc. was also involved in the Preliminary Economic Assessment on the project prepared by Equapolar Consultants Limited and dated March 5, 2011.
Appointment of Mr. Pierre Demers as Vice-President Development, Whabouchi Project
The Company is pleased to confirm that it has appointed Mr. Pierre Demers, Eng. as Vice- President Development, Whabouchi project. Mr. Demers is responsible for the progress of the Whabouchi Project and will oversee the various consultants and contractors involved in the Project and the Feasibility study. Mr. Demers is a mining engineer with over 40 years of experience in diversified mineral processing and heavy industry projects. He has managed projects from preliminary studies to feasibility and engineering and construction. Mr. Demers has served in the capacity of Project Manager for several major mining projects in Canada and abroad.
Pilot plant Metallurgical tests
Spodumene concentrate
Metallurgical testing on a 58 tonnes bulk sample, announced on May 5, 2011, is proceeding according to schedule. The first phase, a pilot plant treatment of bulk sample material to produce a spodumene concentrate using DMS (dense media separation) technology has been completed. Phase 2 will produce spodumene concentrate by flotation and will treat separately:
1. representative sample material for an all-flotation option, and
2. the fines and middling products from the DMS pilot plant for a combined DMS flotation option.
These two pilot plant phases will provide necessary metallurgical data that will be input into the Definitive Feasibility Study for production of saleable spodumene concentrate.
Production of lithium carbonate and hydroxide
The Company also confirms that it is conducting metallurgical tests to establish the definitive production process for making lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide monohydrate from spodumene concentrate. These additional tests should be completed during the month of October 2011 and will be employed in the design of a hydrometallurgical pilot plant to generate data for a further feasibility study for the construction of a lithium carbonate and hydroxide production plant in the Province of Quebec. This latter feasibility study will be initiated as soon as the Definitive Feasibility study for production of spodumene concentrate is completed.
Field work
Technical work required for the Definitive Feasibility Study will be conducted during the coming months and is expected to be completed before snow fall.
The technical information in this press release has been reviewed by Pierre Demers Eng. and Gary Pearse, MSc, P. Eng., Qualified Persons as defined in National instrument 43-101.
AI
