Elemental Minerals Limited - A range of positive results from the metallurgical test work program for the Sintoukola Potash Project in the Republic of Congo

PERTH, Australia, Sept. 23, 2011 /CNW/ - Elemental Minerals Ltd. (ASX, TSX: ELM) ("Elemental" or the "Company") is pleased to announce positive results from the metallurgical test work programme.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The metallurgical test work program has been completed and returned encouraging results.
  
  
• Low impurity content was confirmed, minimising environmental impact and offering the potential for a simple insoluble removal stage, which should result in better than average reagent utilization.
  
  
• Relatively coarse liberation will not require fine crushing / grinding which could lead to good brine recovery, less fines losses and better compaction efficiency.
  
  
• Good flotation recoveries indicated by the test work programme suggest a simple rougher / cleaner / regrind flotation configuration

METALLURGICAL TEST WORK PROGRAM

The metallurgical test work program was completed by the Saskatchewan Research Council, industry recognized leaders in potash process testing, under supervision of AMEC Americas. The test work was conducted on a 100kg representative sylvinite sample. The results are very encouraging and it is management's belief that these results will translate into significant capital and operational cost advantages during the current phase of design.

Mineralogical analysis showed that the composite sample was composed of 38% sylvite (24.2% K₂O) confirming the high grade nature of the deposit, with an insoluble content (identified as mostly anhydrite) of less than 1%.The sample can be categorised as coarsely intergrown sylvinite.

The main conclusions from this initial work are:

• An effective and simple conventional process flow sheet has been indicated as required to achieve high recoveries and grades.
  
  
• The high grade quality of the Sintakoula feed material with low insoluble content may only require a simple desliming stage with minimum losses.
  
  
• Fast flotation kinetics suggests a simple and cost effective flow-sheet.
  
  
• Initial bench scale rougher / regrind / scavenger flotation achieved recoveries up to 96.5%with the scavenger flotation tails containing less than 1.5% KCl. One stage of cleaner flotation upgraded the rougher concentrate to 95.9% KCl grade.
  
  
• Locked cycle testing produced above average results with high recoveries (93.0% to 94.8%) and high concentrate grades (93.9% to 95.9%). Flotation concentrate grades produced are very close to final product grade suggesting that little or no concentrate leaching may be required.
  
  
• Optimisation of the flow sheet is underway.

Remarking on the metallurgical testwork results, Elemental's CEO, Iain Macpherson, commented: "We are highly encouraged with the outcome of this preliminary process development work that highlights the benefit of our high grade, clean Sintoukola sylvinite resource. The benefits range from a suggested simple and cost effective process flow sheet with low reagent consumptions to a high quality end product. More work will naturally be undertaken as we progress with our pre-feasibility study, but this preliminary work is a key milestone and suggests significant upside on the processing capital and operating costs used in the Company's previously released Technical Report."

Competent Person Statement:

Scientific or technical information in this release has been approved by Mr Paul O'Hara of AMEC Americas. Mr. Paul O'Hara, Sr. Metallurgist at AMEC Americas is the Qualified Person responsible for reviewing and approving the mineral processing information of this press release and consents to the inclusion in this report of the Information, in the form and context in which it appears.

Further information respecting Elemental's Sintoukola Project is contained in a technical report entitled ''NI 43-101 Technical Report, Sintoukola Potash Project, Republic of Congo'' prepared by Dr. Neal Rigby of SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc. and Messrs. Simon Dorling, Jeff Elliott, Andrew Scogings and Peter Davies of CSA Global Pty Ltd. for the Company dated August 1, 2011 with an effective date of June 10, 2011 (the "Technical Report").  The Technical Report can be accessed on the Company's profile on SEDAR.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking". Generally, the words "expect," "intend," "estimate," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any of our forward-looking statements, which are not guarantees of future performance. Statements in this press release regarding the Company's business or proposed business, which are not historical facts, are "forward looking" statements that involve risks and uncertainties, such as resource estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made.

Image with caption: "Figure 1: Location of Sintoukola Potash Permit and historic drill hole locations. (CNW Group/Elemental Minerals Limited)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110923_C5836_PHOTO_EN_3696.jpg