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Sparton
Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:SRI)Sparton Resources Inc. (TSX
VENTURE: SRI) (the "Company")
reported today that it has received initial uranium extraction test results
on coal ash from the Yunnan Xiaolongtang Power Station in southwest China (See
news releases dated December 19, 2006, and January
7, 2007). The test work is
being done under the direction of Lyntek Inc. of Denver, Colorado USA, and represents
early stage testing of fly ash and bottom ash samples from Xiaolongtang that
contain approximately 0.46 pounds of U308 per tonne of ash (160-180 parts per
million uranium).
The first phase of test work involves several acid and alkaline
leaching tests on both the fly ash and bottom ash samples which have different
physical characteristics. Chemical reagent concentrations and test conditions
are progressively adjusted in subsequent tests to work towards increased recoveries,
and at this stage only very simple techniques have been used. Because the Xiaolongtang
Power Station uses lime to reduce sulphur stack emissions the excess lime content
in the ash is also a factor in determining the testing program. Current results
indicate that acid leaching is the most effective method of uranium removal.
Because fly ash represents over 90% of the ash production, and future work will
prioritize tests on this material.
TEST RESULTS
The first simple test results
on fly ash samples using weak sulphuric acid solutions averaged recoveries
of about 45% of the contained uranium into the leach solution
and residues. Further testing using different reagent concentrations
has increased this now to 73% soluble uranium in the leach
solution and residues. These results are considered very
positive and compare favourably with realized and projected
uranium recoveries from public documentation of currently operating
and proposed new ISL (In Situ Leach) uranium mining operations,
which average about 70% uranium recoveries.
DISCUSSION
The
next phase will involve bench scale heap leach tests on agglomerated
fly ash to lower the acid consumption and advanced leaching
tests using oxidants and other methods to improve the overall
uranium solubility in the test solutions. Once this has been
optimized final recovery tests for U308 will be established
in a preliminary flow sheet and larger scale tests will be
commissioned leading towards a scoping or pre-feasibility
study level of technical evaluation. This work will define
the parameters for the possible commercialization of the Xiaolongtang
program. As indicated in previous news releases the Xiaolongtang
station is producing over 600,000 tonnes of fly ash per year
containing over 275,000 pounds of U3O8.
As well, Sparton's
China based team continues to obtain new samples of high uranium
ash from other Chinese power stations and these are currently
being analysed and will be sent for extraction tests in the
coming weeks.
Sparton Management is extremely pleased how rapidly
this program has developed. These initial tests indicate
acceptable uranium solubility in the commercial range and the
XLT project is expected to become a flagship for evaluating
other high uranium waste deposits in China and elsewhere.
Sparton's
exploration and evaluation programs in China are being carried
out under the direct supervision of A. Lee Barker, P. Eng.,
P Geol., the Company's President and CEO who is a Qualified
Person under National Instrument 43-101.
FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
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