Rathdowney completes preliminary metallurgical testwork for Olza Zinc-Lead project - Excellent results exceed expectations, returning high recoveries & concentrate grades
VANCOUVER, June 18, 2013 /CNW/ - Rathdowney Resources Ltd. ("Rathdowney" or the "Company") (TSXV: RTH) announces that preliminary metallurgical testing of mineralization from its Project Olza has been completed and has confirmed the initial excellent metallurgical results reported in the Company's March 12, 2013 news release. Rathdowney's Olza Zinc-Lead-Silver Project is located 70 km northwest of Krakow in southern Poland.
The following excellent results were confirmed on the bulk composite tested:
- Zinc - a projected zinc recovery of 92% to a 58% zinc concentrate. The zinc concentrate was very low in iron, assaying 0.4% Fe, and its magnesium content was 1.7% MgO.
- Silver - a zinc concentrate assay of 179 g/t Ag, representing 83% recovery of silver to the zinc concentrate.
- Lead - a projected lead recovery of 90% or better to a lead concentrate assaying 70% Pb. The actual lock-cycle result was 87% lead recovery to a 79% lead concentrate.*
* Reducing the lead concentrate grade closer to a typical 70% Pb grade would increase lead recovery to lead concentrate to 90% as quantified from lead grade/recovery curves. The lead concentrate contained 55 g/t Ag, representing 4% distribution of silver to the lead concentrate.
The preliminary test program was carried out at SGS Mineral Services UK Ltd.'s test laboratory near Truro, Cornwall, UK under the direction of Melis Engineering Ltd. of Saskatoon, Canada. A bulk composite sample was prepared representing the Olza mineralization styles in proportion to their relative abundance in the area of the initial mineral resource estimate announced in September 2012 (21.2 Mt of inferred resources grading 7.42% Zn+Pb at a 2.0% Zn cutoff1). Sulphides present in the sample include sphalerite, galena and marcasite. The average head grade of the test composite was 6.2% Zn and 1.4% Pb for a combined head grade of 7.6% Zn+Pb with 19 g/t Ag. These zinc and lead contents are comparable to the September 2012 mineral resource.
Open cycle batch flotation tests previously completed and reported in March 2013 on a bulk composite representing the Olza mineralization determined that optimum metallurgy could be obtained using standard zinc and lead flotation conditions. Based on these results, a standard six-cycle lock-cycle test was completed to quantify recoveries and concentrate grades under conditions approaching steady state.
"Completion of the preliminary metallurgical testwork for Rathdowney's Project Olza is an important development," said President and CEO John Barry. "The results have exceeded our expectations and show that excellent recoveries to produce a high quality concentrate from the Olza deposits are achievable."
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1 Individual grades are 5.88% Zn and 1.54% Pb. Silver was not assayed in historical holes so its grade was not included in the estimate. For further details see Rathdowney News Release dated September 11, 2012 and the Company's technical report on the resource estimate filed at www.sedar.com.
About Rathdowney
Rathdowney Resources Ltd. is a mineral exploration company focused on finding and developing the next generation of zinc-lead-silver deposits in the ore fields of Poland and Ireland. Rathdowney is associated with Hunter Dickinson Inc. ("HDI") a diversified, global mine development company with a 25-year history of mineral development success. From its head office in Vancouver, Canada, HDI applies its unique strengths and capabilities to acquire, develop, operate and monetize mineral properties that provide consistently superior returns to shareholders.
The metallurgical technical information in this release has been reviewed by Lawrence Melis, P.Eng, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.
John Barry
President & CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects, are forward looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, potential environmental issues or liabilities associated with exploration, development and mining activities, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
SOURCE Rathdowney Resources Ltd.
For further details on Rathdowney and its projects, visit www.rathdowneyresources.com or contact Investor Services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114.