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Sparton
Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:SRI) (the "Company") reported
today that it has started the drilling program to evaluate the
quantity and uranium content of waste fly ash at the China Guodian
Xiaolongtang Thermal Power Plant in central Yunnan Province PRC.
(See earlier news release dated July
10, 2007.)
WASTE
PILE DRILLING PROGRAM
POSSIBLE
LARGE INCREASE IN WASTE PILE SIZE
A
GPS controlled survey of the accessible fly ash piles has now been
completed and drilling equipment has started systematic testing
of the piles.
Based
on the survey results it appears that there may be a large increase
in the size of this pile relative to earlier reports provided by
the power station staff. The survey data indicate waste fly ash
covers an area of about one million square metres and appears to
be approximately 10 metres in average thickness. Based on an average
bulk density of about 1.4 tonnes per cubic metre there could be
more than 10 million tonnes of ash in this storage area, which
is nearly double the earlier estimates provided by staff at the
station.
While
this estimate needs to be confirmed by the drilling program it
is consistent with the known ash production of the power station
since 1987 when operations began. The station has been producing
between 500,000 to 700,000 tonnes of ash per year depending on
the level of power demand and coal deliveries from the adjacent
coal mine, averaging about 600,000 tonnes of new ash produced
per year.
Approximately
50 holes averaging about 10 metres in depth will be required to
complete evaluating the entire pile and it will require about 30
days to complete the drilling work. The samples recovered will
be systematically analyzed for uranium content and bulk chemistry,
and leaching tests will be completed to estimate average uranium
recoveries from the entire waste pile.
DISCUSSION
This
is an important development in the program as it may provide additional
low lime content ash for processing and uranium extraction, with
lower acid consumption in the leaching process and overall lower
production costs. (Please see news release dated July 10, 2007.).
With a possible doubling of the amount of ash available in the
waste piles for processing, the amount of available uranium that
could be produced from them will increase proportionately and could
have a favourable effect on project economics.
TESTING
PROGRAM UPDATE
New
ash samples totalling 200 kg have been sent to the Beijing Number
5 Testing Institute for additional leaching tests to finalize the
design of the bulk sampling plant planned for large scale testing
at Xiaolongtang. The work to produce a small amount of yellowcake
(U3O8) from the smaller ash samples being tested by Lyntek in the
US is underway with results expected shortly. An independent technical
report will be written on these programs following their completion.
Sparton's
international exploration and evaluation programs 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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