Large Flake Graphite at Wilclo South
Melbourne, Nov 13, 2014 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Archer Exploration Limited (
ASX:AXE) ("Archer") advises that initial metallurgical test work results from Wilclo South oxide drill samples infer that 42-55% of the graphite is recoverable as flake product, in sizes ranging to Extra Large Flake >425µm at grades of approximately 92% graphitic carbon.
Archer Exploration expects that concentrate grades from Wilclo South will improve with further process steps such as light regrinding and recleaner stages of flotation and tabling. The tested concentrate was recovered through conventional mineral separation processes including grinding in a rod mill, froth flotation, and then sieved into sized fractions before batch beneficiation on a shaking table and Haultain super-panner.
The shape of the recovered flake particles shows a high degree of graphite release from the predominantly quartz gangue, which infers potential for efficient recovery of graphite at relatively coarse grind sizes.
Microscopic images of the respective flake concentrate from each of the size fractions are shown in Plates 1 to Plate 4 in link below. The clean surfaces of the particles show substantial release of the graphite particles from the gangue minerals such as quartz across all size fractions. The particles surfaces are generally free of occlusions or slime coatings.
The image of coarsest particles in the +425 fraction, see Plate 1 in link below, reveals rounded edges which suggest that these particles display little fraying from the treatment processes. The smaller particles down to +75 microns in Plates 2 - 4 in link below, show progressive increase in edge angularity suggesting that the grinding has fractured the particles, as would be expected from rod milling.
In addition, at the Argent graphite prospect, which occurs in the very southern portion of EL4662, surface sampling has identified the presence of very coarse crystalline graphite in sizes up to 6,000 microns, see Plate 6. This is the coarsest graphite yet identified on EL4662. This has significant potential given the centroid of the >3 kilometre intense EM anomaly lies just 8 kilometres east-north-east of the proposed Sugarloaf processing facility.
Next Steps
Drilling at Argent is planned to commence within a week, as well as drilling Wilclo, Balumbah, Lacroma and Ridgestone. Drilling at the Wilclo South, Francis and Cut-Snake graphite prospects will commence nominally in January following the 2014 harvest.
Wilclo South was drilled to Resource status and a JORC 2012 Inferred Resource of 6.38 Mt grading 8.8% Cg was prepared and first disclosed under the JORC Code 2012 (Monax Mining Limited, ASX Announcement 26th August 2013). It has not been updated since on the basis that the information has not materially changed since it was last reported.
To view figures, please visit:
http://media.abnnewswire.net/media/en/docs/ASX-AXE-828840.pdf
Contact
Archer Exploration Limited
T: +61-8-8272-3288
WWW: www.archerexploration.com.au
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