Metallurgical Scoping Study at San Domingo
Source: RNS30 October, 2024
Bradda Head Lithium Ltd
("Bradda Head" or the "Company")
Metallurgical Scoping Study, San Domingo Pegmatite Project-Moving Further Along the Potential Production Pathway, Completion of TSX-V Delisting
Bradda Head Lithium Ltd (AIM:BHL), the North America-focused lithium development group, is pleased announce the commencement of a further metallurgical particle sorting study on the composite samples collected in 2023 from San Domingo drill core. The purpose of this new test-work plan in addition the 20 November 2023 reported metallurgical work, is to move Bradda Head closer to a potential production decision later in 2025.
The study will be supervised and guided by ABH Engineering Inc.("ABH"), an international leader in scoping, design, and installation of mineral processing facilities for the mining industry. ABH, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada, will oversee the scoping study which will investigate the potential to increase mill feed grade, reduce product impurities, and reject baren rock before it enters any milling process. The goal of testing is to lower cut-off grades and increase potential profit.
Essential elements the Company is looking to achieve from the scoping study are:
· Increased mill feed grade, resulting in higher metal production, lower OPEX, higher mill recoveries, and potentially, increased NPV;
· Early barren rock rejection to reduce fine tailings, reduce transportation costs, examine potential for direct shipping or high-grade local ROM (run-of-mine), reduced toll milling charges, reduce mill and tailings for lower CAPEX, and lower environmental impacts such as lower water consumption, reagents, footprint;
· Examine waste sorting and lower cut-off grades that result in dramatic increase in reserves and resources, potential to extend mine-life; and
· It is also important to note that market quality Li2O concentrate (Li2O grades of 6.0% from ¼" crush and 5.5% from 3/8" crush) was produced previously from a 1.03% Li2O composite drill hole composite samples using dense media separation (DMS), a simple low-cost gravity approach (PR Nov 20, 2023).
The study will utilize AI-powered XRT or laser sorting machines that, in part, will examine potential mechanisms to sort lithium mineralized rock (spodumene) from gangue rock such as quartz, feldspar, and muscovite. The systems incorporate dual energy x-ray transmission or laser sensors to identify valuable minerals, generating results that could provide data to determine high-level economic models, obtain grade recovery curves, profit recovery curves, and lead to quantified economic ore sorting changes to CAPEX and OPEX.
Ian Stalker, Executive Chairman, commented:
"We're excited to embark with this new AI-powered analysis which we believe will add to the positive gravity concentrate metallurgical results from 2023. We believe we're on the path towards developing mineable resources at San Domingo, and these additional mineral and metallurgical results may well be pivotal towards unlocking the near-term value on this US based pegmatite project."
As a reminder of the 20 November 2023 PR, metallurgical results reported SGS Canada commissioned HLS (heavy liquid separation) testing on a 1.03% Li2O composite from Jumbo target drill holes from San Domingo. The test produced encouraging results:
· The 1.03% Li2O sample produce an 'in spec' lithium oxide concentrate product with a 6.0% Li2O grade and an interpolated recovery of contained lithium to the concentrate of 50.3%, at a ¼" size crush size. Tailings rejection was considered efficient in this scenario with the rejection of 60.6% mass and a loss of only 2.1% lithium.
· Alternately, at a crush size of 3/8" (9.5 mm), a concentrate was produced with a grade of 5.5 % Li2O at a 55.5% recovery of contained lithium oxide. This is still considered in spec in the current market.
· Using the medium-grade sample, the flotation feed, a combination of middling product from the HLS testing at a crush size of ¼" and under sized fraction (minus 0.85 mm), recorded an upgraded value of 1.57% Li2O with Li distribution of 47.0% and a mass distribution of 30.5%.
TSX-V Delisting
The Company also confirms that its ordinary shares have been delisted from the TSX-V. The delisting will not affect Bradda Head's listing on AIM and its ordinary shares will continue to be listed on AIM under the symbol "BHL".
Qualified Person (Bradda Head)
Joey Wilkins, B.Sc., P.Geo., is Chief Operating Officer at Bradda Head and the Qualified Person who reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this news release. Mr Wilkins is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a B.Sc. in Geology with more than 38 years of experience in mineral exploration and is a qualified person under the AIM Rules and a Qualified Person as defined under NI-43-101. Mr Wilkins consents to the inclusion of the technical information in this release and context in which it appears.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU No. 596/2014) AS IT FORMS PART OF UK DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018. UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND SUCH PERSONS SHALL THEREFORE CEASE TO BE IN POSSESSION OF INSIDE INFORMATION.
For further information please visit the Company's website: www.braddaheadltd.com.
ENDS
Contact:
Bradda Head Lithium Limited |
+44 (0) 1624 639 396 |
Ian Stalker, Executive Chair Denham Eke, Finance Director |
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Beaumont Cornish (Nomad) James Biddle / Roland Cornish |
+44 20 7628 3396 |
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Panmure Liberum (Joint Broker) |
+44 20 7886 2500 |
Kieron Hodgson / Rauf Munir |
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Shard Capital (Joint Broker) |
+44 207 186 9927 |
Damon Heath / Isabella Pierre |
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Red Cloud (North American Broker) |
+1 416 803 3562 |
Joe Fars |
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Tavistock (PR) |
+ 44 20 7920 3150 |
Nick Elwes / Josephine Clerkin |
braddahead@tavistock.co.uk |
About Bradda Head Lithium Ltd.
Bradda Head Lithium Ltd. is a North America-focused lithium development group. The Company currently has interests in a variety of projects, the most advanced of which are in Central and Western Arizona: The Basin Project (Basin East Project, and the Basin West Project) and the Wikieup Project.
The Basin East Project has a Measured Mineral Resource of 20 Mt at an average grade of 929 ppm Li for a total of 99 kt LCE and an Indicated Mineral Resource of 122 Mt at an average grade of 860 ppm Li and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 499 Mt at an average grade of 810 ppm Li for a total of 2.81 Mt LCE. The Group intends to continue to develop its three phase one projects in Arizona, whilst endeavouring to unlock value at its other prospective pegmatite and brine assets in Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. All of Bradda Head's licences are held on a 100% equity basis and are in close proximity to the required infrastructure. Bradda Head is quoted on the AIM of the London Stock Exchange with the ticker of BHL and on the TSX Venture Exchange with a ticker of BHLI.
Technical Glossary
Kt |
Thousand tonnes |
% |
Percent |
Ppm |
Parts per million |
Exploration Target
|
An estimate of the exploration potential of a mineral deposit in a defined geological setting where the statement or estimate, quoted as a range of tonnes and a range of grade (or quality), relates to mineralisation for which there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource. |
Inferred Mineral Resource
|
That part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade (or quality) are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological grade (or quality) continuity. It is based on exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings, and drill holes. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to an Ore Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. |
Indicated Mineral Resource
|
That part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade (or quality), densities, shape and physical characteristics are estimated with sufficient confidence to allow the application of Modifying Factors in sufficient detail to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. Geological evidence is derived from adequately detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings, and drill holes, and is sufficient to assume geological and grade (or quality) continuity between points of observation where data and samples are gathered. |
Sn |
Tin |
Li2O % |
Lithium Oxide |
Cs |
Cesium |
Ta |
Tantalum |
Ta2O5 |
Tantalum pentoxide |
K |
Potassium |
Rb |
Rubidium |
Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter referred to in it.
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