News
February 16, 2012 - Bralorne Engages USA Investor Relations Consultants Torrey Hills Capital Inc.
Bralorne Gold Mines hires Torrey Hills for IR
TSX.V : BPM OTCQX: BPMSFFebruary 16, 2012 FRANKFURT : GV7
Mr. William Kocken reports
INVESTOR RELATIONS SERVICES
Bralorne Gold Mines Ltd. has retained San Diego Torrey Hills Capital Inc., located in Del Mar, Calif., to act as investor relations consultants to the company.
Torrey Hills Capital is a leading investor and financial public relations firm specializing in small and microcap companies, primarily in the natural resource sector. Torrey Hills Capital will increase awareness about Bralorne through its established relationships with investment professionals, investment advisers and money managers focused on the microcap market space. This will allow Bralorne to build and maintain an informed investor audience in both the United States and Canadian marketplaces.
Torrey Hills Capital will also develop a profile on Bralorne for coverage on its babybulls website, a website developed to showcase and provide exposure for emerging microcap companies to an audience of proven microcap investors.
Torrey Hills Capital has been engaged for a term of six months at a monthly fee of $7,000 (U.S.). In addition, Bralorne has agreed to grant options to purchase 15,000 common shares of Bralorne at a price of $1.00 per common share exercisable on or before Feb. 15, 2015. The options shall be subject to the terms of Bralorne's stock option plan, and will vest in accordance with the provisions therein and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.
Torrey Hills Capital currently has no direct or indirect interest in the securities of Bralorne, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest except pursuant to the exercise of the above-referenced options.
We seek Safe Harbor.
February, 09, 2012 - MAWSON GAINS PERMISSION TO DRILL AT ROMPAS
Mawson gains permission to drill at Rompas
VANCOUVER , Feb. 9, 2012 /CNW/ - Mawson Resources Limited ("Mawson") (TSX: MAW.TO - News) (Frankfurt: MRY.F - News). Mr Michael Hudson , President & CEO, announces that the Company has signed a contract with a private landholder to diamond drill at Rompas.
Key points include:
- Contract entitles Mawson to diamond drill on private land that incorporates +500 metres of strike potential at South Rompas;
- Diamond drill contractor has been identified and who will mobilize a drill rig to site in early March 2012 .
The agreement covers two areas at South Rompas. The southern area (18.9 hectares) encompasses a 280m trend of the southern extensions of the known mineralized zone. The northern area (24.8 hectares) covers an area of 240m strike in the central zone of the South Rompas project area (Figure 1). According to discussions with landholders, Mawson will commence drilling in the southern area first. The agreement has been made according to the Finnish Mining Act which allows for private agreements to be reached between explorers and landholders. Mawson will specifically drill for and target gold.
Mawson has also identified a diamond drill contractor to mobilize a drill rig to site in early March. An initial 3,000 metre drill program has been planned. The average depth of drill holes will be 100 metres. Further information regarding the details of the program will be released when they are available.
Mr Hudson states: "This is a landmark moment for the Rompas project. The first deep drill hole program has been awaited for some time and although the permitted areas do not contain the highest priority drill targets, the results are expected to significantly enhance our understanding of the mineral system. We shall apply world's best environmental practice as we conduct this first drill program at Rompas."
Mawson holds 833 claims and claim applications for 75,340 hectares at the Rompas Project. A total of 110 exploration claims that cover a surface area of 10,580 hectares and form the core claims at Rompas were granted on October 31, 2010 but do not come into legal force until after a standard appeal process. A key decision point on the appeal process is expected late Q1 2012. The known footprint of mineralization at Rompas is 6 km by up to 270 m wide.
Shares Outstanding: 51,877,753; Cash: approximately C$9.5 million.
On behalf of the Board,
" Michael Hudson "
Michael Hudson , President & CEO
Forward Looking Statement. The statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements address future events and conditions and so involve inherent risks and uncertainties, as disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the company's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Actual results could differ from those currently projected. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. The TSX Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
The qualified person for Mawson's Finnish projects, Mr Terry Lees , VP Exploration for Mawson and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.
February 09, 2012 - Tasman Makes Metallurgical Breakthrough at Norra Karr Heavy Rare Earth and Zirconium Project in Sweden
Tasman makes metallurgical breakthrough at Norra Karr heavy rare earth element and zirconium project, Sweden
VANCOUVER, Feb. 9, 2012 /CNW/ - Tasman Metals Ltd. ("Tasman" or the "Company") (TSXV - TSM; Frankfurt - T61; NYSE AMEX - TAS). Mr Mark Saxon, President & CEO, is pleased to announce results from the significant progress made in development of a processing flow sheet for the Norra Karr heavy rare earth element (REE) and zirconium (Zr) project in southern Sweden.
Highlights include:
- Preparation of a mineral concentrate with high REE recovery using wet magnetic separation;
- Successful use of flotation to further upgrade this mineral concentrate;
- High recoveries and low sulphuric acid consumption achieved when leaching the mineral concentrate in an ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure environment;
- Processing flow sheet now well defined for inclusion in PEA nearing completion by Pincock, Allen & Holt;
- Potentially saleable nepheline/feldspar co-product with low iron content separated during physical concentrate preparation;
"The metallurgical team at the Geological Survey of Finland has made great progress for Tasman in developing a simple and potentially low cost processing method for Norra Karr" said Mark Saxon, Tasman's President & CEO. "The mineral concentrate we have prepared by magnetic separation and flotation is as encouraging as we hoped for at the start of our research. In addition to achieving high REE recoveries, we have now also separated a potentially saleable nepheline/feldspar co-product, which may allow Tasman to significantly reduce tailings dam requirements, and optimally use the mined resource. The acid leaching program was also a success, with sulphuric acid consumption greatly reduced with respect to previous tests, no roasting or elevated pressure required, and recoveries of the high value heavy REE's exceeding 90%."
The mineral processing division of the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) in Outokumpu was engaged in 2011 to undertake physical concentrate preparation (beneficiation) and leaching testing on a sample of Norra Karr mineralization. Approximately 100 kg of representative uncrushed drill core was delivered to GTK. Previous metallurgical work by SGS Minerals Services (as reported 4th May 2011) identified a simple and effective leach process, therefore GTK focused a majority of research on beneficiation. The research was completed under the guidance of Tasman's consulting metallurgist, Mr John Litz of JE Litz & Associates, Colorado.
Mineral liberation studies have shown the Norra Karr host rock to have simple mineralogy, with almost all REE's contained within the acid soluble zirconosilicate mineral eudialyte. Eudialyte comprises 7.2% of the sample, whilst the Zr-rich/REE-poor mineral catapleiite comprises 2.5%. Zircon (0.03%) and other REE phases (0.19%) are present in only trace amounts. Accessory minerals in the sample are dominated by aegirine (21.6%), albite (19.5%), potassium feldspar (17.1%) and analcime (16.4%).
Beneficiation Testing
A total of twenty six multi-step magnetic separation and flotation tests were run by GTK, where grind size, magnetic strength, flotation chemical inputs and sequencing were varied. Testing focused on the use of simple and commercially available techniques. By magnetic separation alone, optimum results achieved were very encouraging including:
- 95.1% REE recovery into 55% of the mineral mass (T2);
- 94.1% REE recovery into 49% of the mineral mass (T11); and
- 88.0% REE recovery into 47% of the mineral mass (T10);
REE-bearing eudialyte is weakly magnetic, and therefore reports to the magnetic fraction with mafic minerals in particular aegirine. Zr recovery was typically in the range 50% - 60% as some of the Zr-bearing mineral catapleiite reported to the non-magnetic fraction. The non-magnetic fraction is largely comprised of the felsic minerals including nepheline, feldspar and natrolite. This non-magnetic fraction is low in iron, with a similar chemistry and mineralogy to material used in large volume in Europe within the glass and ceramic industries. Tests for whiteness, translucency and melting point of this co-product are now being run.
A mineral flotation step, developed to separate aegirine from the magnetic fraction has been tested and shown to significantly improve the quality of the mineral concentrate without significant loss of REE-bearing minerals. Combined magnetic separation and flotation tests achieved the following optimum results:
- 86.6% REE recovery into 37.6% of the mineral mass (T26); and
- 84.1% REE recovery into 26.5% of the mineral mass (T20);
Leach Testing
Leach tests were completed by GTK on mineral concentrates produced in the above beneficiation process. Leach tests by SGS Minerals Services reported prior to GTK's work (4th May 2011) were run using whole ore samples and achieved high recovery in a two step process being an ambient temperature "pre-leach" and a 150o C "roast and leach".
GTK's research focused on optimizing the ambient temperature leach phase, with a view to minimizing acid and energy requirements during processing. At ambient temperature, with a sulphuric acid dosage of only 220 kg/tonne of ore for 3.5 hours, optimum leach test results were approximately
- 95% recovery of the heavy REE yttrium (Y); 88.5% of light REE's lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce); and 82% of zirconium (Zr). Previous tests have shown that recovery rate of additional heavy REE's will reflect that of yttrium, and additional light REE's will reflect La and Ce. REE-salts were found to form in solution during acid leaching, which may be separated as part of the precipitation phase, or re-dissolved in water.
Results from the metallurgical research described above shall form the basis for the metallurgical flowsheet used in the Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Norra Karr deposit that is nearing completion by Pincock Allen & Holt.
Samples submitted by Tasman Metals Ltd and metallurgical products produced by the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) were analyzed by the XRF technique in the laboratories of Labtium Oy in Finland. Labtium Oy is an independent consulting laboratory, fully accredited to industry standards.
The qualified person for the Company's exploration projects, Mark Saxon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tasman and a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Australian Institute of Geoscientists, has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.
Norra Karr is characterized by being unusually enriched in the high value HREO when compared to peer projects tracked by industry analysts at Technology Metals Research LLC (www.techmetalsresearch.com), with HREO as a percentage of TREO exceeding 50%. Of particular note are the high grades of Y2O3 (yttrium oxide), Dy2O3 (dysprosium oxide) and Tb2O3 (terbium oxide), metals with strong demand in the lighting and automotive industries, and with few potential sources outside China. In addition, Technology Metals Research show Norra Karr to be the fourth largest heavy rare earth project in the Western World by contained metal.
Mineralization occurs within the Norra Karr peralkaline nepheline syenite intrusion, which covers an area of 350m by 1100m, first discovered in 1906, and subsequently test mined for nepheline, Zr and Hf. Better grades of mineralization in drill holes appear associated with partially melted or pegmatitic intervals within the intrusion. Recent mineralogical work by SGS Mineral Services has shown REE bearing minerals to be zirconosilicates, principally eudialyte and catapleiite, both of which are soluble in sulphuric acid. The project shows geological similarity to advanced projects at Strange Lake (Quebec) and Dubbo (Australia).
Norra Karr is located in southern Sweden, 300km SW of the capital Stockholm and lies in mixed farming and forestry land. The site is well serviced by power, roads and water allowing all year round access, plus a local skilled community. For an overview of the infrastructure and resource, please see a recent 3D fly through video at http://www.tasmanmetals.com/i/videos/video1/index.html. .
About Tasman Metals Ltd.
Tasman Metals Ltd is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on Rare Earth Elements (REE's) in the European region and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "TSM" and on the NYSE-AMEX under the symbol "TAS. REE demand is increasing, due to the metals unique properties that make them essential for high technology and environmentally-beneficial applications. Since over 95% of REE supply is sourced from China, the European Union is actively supporting policy to promote domestic supply of REE's, to ensure the security of high-tech industry. Tasman's exploration portfolio is uniquely placed, with the capacity to deliver "high-tech" metals from politically stable, mining friendly jurisdictions with developed infrastructure.
The Company's Norra Karr project in Sweden is one of the most significant heavy REE resources in the world, and the only NI43-101 compliant REE resource in mainland Europe. With a TREO (total rare earth oxide) cut off of 0.4%, the Inferred Mineral Resource comprises 60.5 million tonnes grading 0.54% TREO and 1.72% ZrO2 (zirconium oxide), with 53.7% of the TREO being the higher value HREO (heavy rare earth oxide). The resource is unusually low in radioactive metals relative to peer projects, with less than 15 ppm each of uranium and thorium.
For more information regarding rare earth elements, see the Rare Metal Blog at www.raremetalblog.com or Resource Stock Digest at http://strategicmetalstocks.resourcestockdigest.com
On behalf of the Board,
"Mark Saxon"
Mark Saxon, President & CEO
The TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange), the American Stock Exchange or the Frankfurt Stock Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Concerning Estimates of Inferred Resources. This news release uses the term "inferred mineral resource." We advise U.S. investors that this term is not recognized by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The estimation of inferrred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically minable, or will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral resources.
Cautionary Statements. Certain statements found in this release may constitute
forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect the
speaker's current views with respect to future events and financial
performance and include any statement that does not directly relate to
a current or historical fact. Such statements reflect the current
risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors
including, without limitations, competitive factors, general economic
conditions, customer relations, relationships with vendors and
strategic partners, the interest rate environment, governmental
regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, changes
in industry practices, and one-time events. Should any one or more of
these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any underlying
assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from
those described herein. Forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed
and actual results may vary materially due to the uncertainties and
risks, known and unknown, associated with such statements.
Shareholders and other readers should not place undue reliance on
"forward-looking statements," as such statements speak only as of the
date of this release.
Investor Information
www.tasmanmetals.com
1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7
Company Contact: Mariana Bermudez +1 (604) 685 9316
Investor Relation Consultants - Mining Interactive
Nick Nicolaas +1 (604) 657 4058
Email:
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February 06, 2012 - Mawson Discovers Further Mineralization at Rompas in Finland with Pit Samples Assaying up to 557ppm Gold
Mawson discovers further mineralization at Rompas in Finland with pit samples assaying up to 557ppm gold
VANCOUVER, Feb. 6, 2012 / - Mawson Resources Limited ("Mawson") TSX - MAW; Frankfurt - MRY. Mr Michael Hudson, President & CEO, announces new results from the 2011 exploration program at the Company's 100% owned Rompas project in northern Finland.
Key points include:
- A new zone of mineralization defined under thicker glacial soil with grab samples from individual one metre deep pits assaying 557ppm, 147ppm and 201ppm gold within a zone extending over a 30 metre strike;
- Continuity of lower grade gold and uranium mineralization further established, highlighting mineralized trends;
- New geophysics demonstrates gold mineralization is hosted by a chargeable sequence which extends under cover away from known gold bearing areas.
- Further bonanza gold grades from grab samples assay up to 33,200ppm gold.
A new zone of mineralization has been defined late in the field season at the southern extension of North Rompas under thin glacial till. Grab samples taken from three separate one metre deep (hand dug) pits returned 557ppm Au & 0.8% U3O8, 147ppm Au & 36.8% U3O8 and 201ppm Au & 0.1% U3O8 within a zone extending along strike over 30 metres under thin cover (Figure 1). Due to the thicker till in the area only one metre hand dug pits were able to access the weathered bedrock zones which were subsequently grab sampled. One additional grab sample, interpreted to be located 20m to the north in a parallel structure assayed 7,630ppm Au and 22.4% U3O8 (Figure 1).
Importantly, in the southern extension of North Rompas, continuity of lower grade mineralization has been demonstrated over an area of 110 metres along strike and 90 metres width (Figure 1). Extent of known mineralization is only limited by thick soil cover where bedrock cannot be reached by radiometry nor hand digging due to current permit restrictions. The new zone is located 300m south of the northern extension of North Rompas zone where continuity was previously established between mineralized zones (Figure 1), as reported in the Mawson press release dated 31 October, 2011.
One grab sample at South Rompas, located 4.6km to the south, returned 33,200ppm Au and 56.6% U3O8 (Figure 2), which to date represents the highest grade sample yet taken at Rompas. This sample was taken from a boudin in a vein that occurs within the known extent of mineralization. Grab samples are selective by nature and are unlikely to represent average grades on the property.
In addition, Mawson recently completed a 22 line km gradient array IP geophysical survey at North and South Rompas. This survey highlighted a chargeable host sequence that correlates with mineralized areas in both North and South Rompas. The chargeable sequence is far more extensive under areas of shallow till and soil cover that are too deep to be tested by surface sampling (Figures 1 and 2).
Mr Hudson states: "Rompas continues to deliver with grade, continuity and scale. Further discoveries and evidence for continuity of mineralization at surface over considerable distances augurs well for the prospectivity of this exciting new mineral district. Additionally, the recent IP geophysical survey clearly highlights the host sequence at Rompas. The chargeable sequence is shown to continue extensively undercover away from areas where high grade gold and uranium discoveries have been made."
The Rompas mineral system is hosted by metabasalt, dolomite, calc-silicate, dolerite and volcaniclastics, all part of the Palaeoproterozoic Perapohja Schist Belt. These rocks have undergone at least two major deformation events, leading to a locally strong schistosity (oriented 320-340 degrees) and metamorphism up to amphibolite-grade resulting in diopside-tremolite-actinolite assemblages in the calc-silicate rocks.
Gold and uranium mineralization at Rompas is hosted by a quartz-calc-silicate vein array and related alteration selvages. The calc-silicate veins (amphibole-pyroxene-quartz-carbonate ±gold, uraninite) and alteration selvages (biotite-amphibole-K-feldspar) have been metamorphosed to amphibolite facies, following a structural episode of flattening within high strain zones. It is interpreted that the veins are an early (pre-structuring) vein array, but that the bonanza-grade mineralization is likely a result of the structuring and metamorphism. Interestingly, lower grade gold (1-20ppm Au) with weakly anomalous uranium (1-40ppm U) is known to occur outside the high-grade pods, but still within the veins and/or alteration selvages. The spectacular bonanza gold and uranium grades are generally contained in pods of calcite and amphibole, often associated with boudinaged "ladder veins" within the more extensive vein system, indicating they could be local upgraded remobilizations from the veins.
Due to the lack of detailed work that has been done on this relatively new discovery, little is understood about the nature of the mineralizing controls. In any event, it would appear that the exploration target is a large, bulk-tonnage vein system that may be genetically related to a granitoid complex that occurs a few kilometers to the north of the property. The possibility of finding potentially economic high grade vein structures must also be considered.
Mawson holds 833 claims and claim applications for 75,340 hectares at the Rompas Project. A total of 110 exploration claims that cover a surface area of 10,580 hectares and form the core claims at Rompas were granted on October 31, 2010 but do not come into legal force until after a standard appeal process. Therefore sampling, to date, has been restricted to low impact digging and trenching by hand through soil to access bedrock for diamond saw channel and grab sampling.
Mawson samples were prepared by ALS Chemex Ltd's laboratory in Pitea, Sweden and analyzed by Au-ICP21, ME-MS41u, PGM-ICP27 and ME-MS61u techniques by ALS Chemex Ltd's laboratory in Vancouver, Canada and Saskatchewan Research Council using standard ICP partial and full digestion and fire assay methods. The qualified person for Mawson's Finnish projects, Mr Terry Lees, VP Exploration for Mawson and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.
Shares Outstanding: 51,680,753; Cash: approximately C$9.5 million.
On behalf of the Board,
"Michael Hudson"
Michael Hudson, President & CEO
Forward Looking Statement. The statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements address future events and conditions and so involve inherent risks and uncertainties, as disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the company's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Actual results could differ from those currently projected. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. The TSX Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
