Post by Franko10 ™ on Sept 20, 2004 15:08:50 GMT -5
Great Western Gold Corp. 679 Kentons Run Avenue Henderson, Nevada USA 89052-2823 CDNX: GWG
CUSIP: 39144H107
February 11, 2002
OPEN PIT/HEAP LEACH POTENTIAL AT HOIDAS LAKE
TEST MINING AND PILOT PLANT UNDER CONSIDERATION
Neil P. Yingling, President, is pleased to announce that Sierra Mineral Management (SMM) has delivered further metallurgical test results to the Company. These results indicate that the Hoidas Lake mineralization would be amenable to open pit mining and that heap leaching is an appropriate process for metal recovery. The Company's Hoidas Lake rare earth discovery is located in northern Saskatchewan.
Under the direction of Richard Hewlett, SMM initiated multi-element analyses of composite samples from the different rock types hosting the Hoidas mineralization. The samples were analyzed at Acme Analytical Laboratories, Vancouver, and XRAL Laboratories in Toronto. As a result of the analyses (also see the January 23, 2002 news release), there is strong evidence to suggest that mining the granitic and mylonitic rocks outside the main high-grade rare earth skarn zone could also be economically viable provided subsequent drilling proves up sufficient ore reserves. In addition to significant rare earth values, the “non-skarn” material contains significant values for titanium, barium, gallium, rubidium, strontium and zircon among others. The skarn material, in addition to high-grade rare earth mineralization, also contains high phosphate values of potential economic significance. The fact that the material outside the skarn zone has high reserve potential makes open pit mining a logical option to evaluate for production.
SMM also tested a patented recovery process on 58 elements present in the Hoidas Lake mineralization. The process uses inexpensive, readily available, non-toxic reagents to leach out the elements as opposed to conventional acid leaching . Results were extremely positive with a 100% recovery for approximately half the elements. Recoveries for the 15 rare earth elements plus yttrium ranged from 95% to 99.5% depending on the host rock. SMM has concluded that the Hoidas mineralization is well suited to heap leaching with first-pass recoveries well above those seen in most precious metal heap leach operations.
The impact of these findings on the project is that a low-cost open pit/heap leach operation is a viable consideration. Combined with ion-exchange technology to extract individual elements, a heap leach operation offers extreme flexibility in the Company's ability to accommodate consumer demand for any or all product types.
With extensive hands-on experience in open pit/heap leach operations, SMM has recommended a program of reserve delineation and grade control, test mining and construction of a pilot plant to recover and process the rare earth and strategic metals present at Hoidas Lake. Three areas on the JAK zone have been selected for test mining. This approach also provides the Company with early cash flow potential. Management is currently considering the SMM recommendations.
For informational purposes, the Company advises that negotiations with interested parties to fund both the Hoidas Lake project and the Candle Lake diamond project, also located in Saskatchewan, are in progress.
Additional metallurgical testwork results are still pending and will be reported when received and analyzed.
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Great Western Gold Corp. is a diversified, Saskatchewan-based, Canadian mining exploration and development company exploring for diamonds and rare earth elements in the Province of Saskatchewan.
For further information, call Neil Yingling at 1 702 896 6724, Len Willetts at 1 905 544 8502 or Gary Billingsley at 1 306 220 5377.
GREAT WESTERN GOLD CORP.
Neil Yingling
President
The Canadian Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept the responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of the forgoing.
© 2004 Great Western Minerals Group Ltd.
CUSIP: 39144H107
February 11, 2002
OPEN PIT/HEAP LEACH POTENTIAL AT HOIDAS LAKE
TEST MINING AND PILOT PLANT UNDER CONSIDERATION
Neil P. Yingling, President, is pleased to announce that Sierra Mineral Management (SMM) has delivered further metallurgical test results to the Company. These results indicate that the Hoidas Lake mineralization would be amenable to open pit mining and that heap leaching is an appropriate process for metal recovery. The Company's Hoidas Lake rare earth discovery is located in northern Saskatchewan.
Under the direction of Richard Hewlett, SMM initiated multi-element analyses of composite samples from the different rock types hosting the Hoidas mineralization. The samples were analyzed at Acme Analytical Laboratories, Vancouver, and XRAL Laboratories in Toronto. As a result of the analyses (also see the January 23, 2002 news release), there is strong evidence to suggest that mining the granitic and mylonitic rocks outside the main high-grade rare earth skarn zone could also be economically viable provided subsequent drilling proves up sufficient ore reserves. In addition to significant rare earth values, the “non-skarn” material contains significant values for titanium, barium, gallium, rubidium, strontium and zircon among others. The skarn material, in addition to high-grade rare earth mineralization, also contains high phosphate values of potential economic significance. The fact that the material outside the skarn zone has high reserve potential makes open pit mining a logical option to evaluate for production.
SMM also tested a patented recovery process on 58 elements present in the Hoidas Lake mineralization. The process uses inexpensive, readily available, non-toxic reagents to leach out the elements as opposed to conventional acid leaching . Results were extremely positive with a 100% recovery for approximately half the elements. Recoveries for the 15 rare earth elements plus yttrium ranged from 95% to 99.5% depending on the host rock. SMM has concluded that the Hoidas mineralization is well suited to heap leaching with first-pass recoveries well above those seen in most precious metal heap leach operations.
The impact of these findings on the project is that a low-cost open pit/heap leach operation is a viable consideration. Combined with ion-exchange technology to extract individual elements, a heap leach operation offers extreme flexibility in the Company's ability to accommodate consumer demand for any or all product types.
With extensive hands-on experience in open pit/heap leach operations, SMM has recommended a program of reserve delineation and grade control, test mining and construction of a pilot plant to recover and process the rare earth and strategic metals present at Hoidas Lake. Three areas on the JAK zone have been selected for test mining. This approach also provides the Company with early cash flow potential. Management is currently considering the SMM recommendations.
For informational purposes, the Company advises that negotiations with interested parties to fund both the Hoidas Lake project and the Candle Lake diamond project, also located in Saskatchewan, are in progress.
Additional metallurgical testwork results are still pending and will be reported when received and analyzed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great Western Gold Corp. is a diversified, Saskatchewan-based, Canadian mining exploration and development company exploring for diamonds and rare earth elements in the Province of Saskatchewan.
For further information, call Neil Yingling at 1 702 896 6724, Len Willetts at 1 905 544 8502 or Gary Billingsley at 1 306 220 5377.
GREAT WESTERN GOLD CORP.
Neil Yingling
President
The Canadian Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept the responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of the forgoing.
© 2004 Great Western Minerals Group Ltd.