Business
Freeport Advances towards Feasibility at Hutton Garnet Beaches
TSX Venture Exchange: FRI Shares Issued: 13,476,232 VANCOUVER, June 15 /CNW/ - Freeport Resources...
About this update from Freeport Resources Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nTSX Venture Exchange: FRI\nShares Issued: 13,476,232\n\n\nVANCOUVER, June 15 /CNW/ - Freeport Resources Inc. is advancing towards\nthe feasibility study stage at its high grade Hutton Garnet Beaches project in\nLabrador, Canada. Permitting is in process for the 2009 bulk sample, and\nseveral governmental meetings were held in Newfoundland and Labrador last\nmonth to explain the proposal. The work is needed to confirm logistics for\ncommercial-scale production. A sample of about 2000 cubic metres is planned,\nto develop pilot plant design and update tonnage estimates. Preliminary\nresource estimates of over 1.25 million tonnes garnet in October 2004 included\n256,000 tonnes as a probable reserve. Production life is expected to be over\n20 years, with more potential offshore. Community meeting(s) will be held\nprior to work commencing.\n\n\nThe Hutton deposits have exceptionally high garnet content: South Beach\n-- clearly red on satellite photos -- averages over 60% garnet, exceeding 75%\nlocally. The sizing of the angular garnet grains is naturally suited to\nwaterjet cutting. Hutton garnet has performed comparably to higher-end\nproducts in three industry-wide tests in the UK, Canada and the US: The Hutton\nis an important Canadian garnet resource, well positioned to supply Europe and\neastern North America.\n\n\nA large glacial outwash fan of garnet-rich till below sea level is the\nsource for heavy minerals collecting between headlands as bayhead beaches and\nthe adjacent offshore. The proposed mining method works with natural\nprocesses, removing garnetiferous sand from areas of accumulation, to be\nsubsequently replenished by wave action. The proposed bulk sample would be\nskimmed in shallow layers from an unvegetated area over a small part of South\nBeach, which measures just under 2000 metres in length. No long term ground\ndisturbance is expected, given natural processes - wind, waves, winter ice --\nwill remove all traces of work.\n\n\nThe current scenario is based on two barges, where a smaller landing\nbarge acts as a portable dock for a larger loading barge. They will serve as a\nself-contained base camp, and to transport the sample to an existing\ncommercial plant to be separated into garnet products. Information collected\nin 2009 will be used in the preparation of a Feasibility Study.\n\n\nZdenek Hora, M.S...