Business
Imperial Mining Increases Scandium and Rare Earth Recoveries on Its Crater Lake Development Project, Quebec
MONTREAL, July 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Mining Group Ltd. ("Imperial") (TSX VENTURE: IPG; OTCQB: IMPNF) is pleased to announce that early results f
About this update from Scandium Canada Ltd Class A
[{"type":"text","content":" MONTREAL, July 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Mining Group Ltd. (\"Imperial\") (TSX VENTURE: IPG; OTCQB: IMPNF) is pleased to announce that early results from the previously-announce process flowsheet optimization work show significantly improved scandium and rare earth recoveries relative to previous reported results. In addition, exploration crews have now mobilized to the Crater Lake property to commence planned summer work. METALLURGICAL PROCESS DEVELOPMENT UPDATE Imperial is currently undertaking a hydrometallurgical flowsheet optimization development program. The optimization work is based on its patent-pending (US Patent and Trademark Office provisional application #63/265,176) two-stage hydrometallurgical method for the extraction of scandium and rare earth elements with SGS Canada. The program is partially financed from a $245,355 grant from the Quebec Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (see Imperial Mining Press Release - FEB 8, 2022). The flowsheet development program is focused on the following key objectives: Further optimization of the mineral processing flowsheet by rejecting olivine, a non- scandium/REE-bearing mineral. Bulk processing of olivine-depleted Sc/REE mineral concentrate through the patent-pending high-pressure hydrometallurgical process to generate sufficient primary leach solution (PLS), to optimize the scandium / REE recovery circuits of the flowsheet. To-date, the optimization work to date has shown an 11% improvement in scandium recovery (96% vs 85%) at the leaching stage relative to the initial lab results (see Imperial Mining Press Release JUN 9, 2021). Recovery of the rare earths also increased 10% from 84% to 94%. The greatly improved metal recoveries will positively impact the financial model presented in Imperial’s recent PEA announcement (see Imperial Mining Press Release - JUN 13-22). In addition to the improved scandium and rare earth recoveries, the program’s objectives are to lower project operating and capital costs and reduce carbon footprint of the metallurgical process. The optimization study that commenced on January 31st is expected to be completed by the end of Q3 2022. Results from the work will be used for a formal US Patent application and aid in the engineering design of Imperial’s pilot program for the Crater Lake project to commence in 2023. “The much-improved...