January 7th, 2020– Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXv: CCE, FSE: D7H0) (the “Company” or “Commerce”) is pleased to announce that, through its collaboration with its colleagues from Université Laval (“Laval”), will be presenting a paper and oral presentation at the upcoming 52nd Annual Canadian Mineral Processors Operators (“CMP”) conference to be held in Ottawa, ON, January 21st to 23rd, 2020.
With respect to mineral processing flowsheets for rare earth element (“REE”) projects, the challenges of scale-up from bench level testing is rarely discussed in meaningful detail. However, an understanding of the potential challenges is essential to effective scale-up for maintaining performance and reagent consumption rates, while estimating capital and operating expenditures accurately. Such challenges are not uncommon in the REE space; however, these may be more difficult for deposits with complicated or poorly understood rare earth mineralogy, thus highlighting the need for academic/industry discussion and collaboration. Correspondingly, the Ashram Deposit, with its simple rare earth and gangue mineralogy, and resultant well-understood processing techniques, potentially presents a base case scenario for some issues, and therefore, the test data generated by Laval has been used to formulate cautionary guidance for scale-up and large-scale concentrate production, potentially applicable to all rare earth projects regardless of mineralogy.
The paper is titled Challenges of Scale-Up in Grinding and Flotation of Rare Earth Minerals” and will be published for global distribution in a CMP Proceedings volume following the conference. The oral presentation will take place at 1:50 PM on January 23rd during the Flowsheet & Process Control session. The paper and oral presentation outline a 2018-2019 case study documenting the grinding and flotation testwork completed by Laval, at the lab/bench (1 kg) and larger (10-30 kg) scale, on material from the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit.
The lead author on the paper is Jean-François Boulanger, an Assistant Professor at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) in Rouyn-Noranda, and former PhD student with Université Laval. Mr. Boulanger was the lead Project Manager on the Ashram metallurgical test program completed at Laval in 2018-2019 (see news release dated August 1, 2019). Mr. Claude Bazin, Professor and Project Supervisor at Laval, and Mr. Darren L. Smith, Ashram Project Manager, are second and third authors, respectively.
NI 43-101 Disclosure
Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo., Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a Permit holder with the Ordre des Géologues du Québec and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.
About Commerce Resources Corp.
Commerce Resources Corp. is an exploration and development company with a particular focus on deposits of rare metals and rare earth elements. The Company is focused on the development of its Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit in Quebec and the Upper Fir Tantalum-Niobium Deposit in British Columbia.
For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.commerceresources.com or email info@commerceresources.com.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP.
“Chris Grove”
Chris Grove
President and Director
Tel: 604.484.2700
Email: cgrove@commerceresources.com
Web: https://commerceresources.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this press release include the presumption that the Ashram Deposit potentially presents a base case scenario for some issues potentially applicable to all rare earth projects regardless of minerology. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs and reports produced on work done; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful and even it tests are successful, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.
Head office
Suite 1450 – 789 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6C 1H2
Email: info@commerceresources.com
Tel: 604 484 2700
Fax: 604 681 8240
North American Toll-Free: 866 484 2700