Alkane Resources Ltd · ASX:ALK
Alkane Resources — 4th International Rare Earth Conference 2008
21 slides from Alkane Resources's conference presentation, Nov 21, 2008
Slide 1: Presentation to 4th International Rare Earth Conference (ASX cover letter)
R ES O U RCES L TD AB N 3 5 0 0 0 6 8 9 2 1 6 For personal use only 21 November 2008 Manager Announcements Company Announcements Office ASX Limited 20 Bridge Street Sydney NSW 2000 Dear Sir, PRESENTATION Attached is a copy of a presentation to the 4th International Rare Earth Conference being held i
Slide 2: Dubbo Zirconia Project: A new source of supply for the rare earths sector
ALKANE RESOURCES LTD ABN 35 000 689 216 For personal use only Dubbo Zirconia Project Australia A new source of supply for the rare earths sector 4th International Rare Earth Conference Hong Kong November 2008 Roskill Information Services Ltd Metal Events Ltd ALKANE Public company listed on the ASX s
Slide 3: Location and Infrastructure
Central West NSW For personal use only Alkane Projects Significant Infrastructure State grid power DZP National grid gas Water Population base of 150,000 within the 120km diameter area DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Location and Infrastructure Dubbo region pop 80,000 Major mixed agriculture Transport hub Su
Slide 4: Geology and Resources
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Geology For personal use only 0 200 metres Jurassic aged trachyte intrusive DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT RESOURCES Measured Resource : 35.7 million tonnes grading 0 - 55 metres 1.96% Zr02, 0.04%HfO2, 0.46% Nb2O5 , 0.03% Ta2O5 , 0.14% Y2O3, 0.75% REO and 0.014% U3O8 Inferred Resource
Slide 5: Ore Mineralogy
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT ORE MINERALOGY For personal use only eudialyte ZrSiO4 ± Ca, Y, Zirconium < 2μm - 50μm armstrongite REE, H2O +?U yttrium silicates YSiO4 ± REE, Be, Yttrium < 50μm and with Zr Fe, As, Nb Niobium/ NaNbO3 + Ta ? Th natroniobite < 30μm Tantalum also NbFeSiO4 calcian Ca(REE)(CO3)F b
Slide 6: Ore Mineralogy
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT ORE MINERALOGY For personal use only BSE image x 600: Nb mineral in Fe-Mn carbonate Natroniobite ANSTO March 2007 Zr-silicate DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT ORE MINERALOGY BSE image x 250: Altered Ca-bastnaesite ANSTO March 2007 Ca bastnaesite 5
Slide 7: Early Metallurgical Test Work
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Early Metallurgical Test Work For personal use only • Preliminary test work on HCl, HF, NaOH leaching, and H2SO4 roasting and leaching • Preliminary flotation to assess potential for pre-concentration • Scan of various physical separation processes • Definitive flotation test
Slide 8: Current Program
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Current Program For personal use only AusIndustry Commercial Ready Grant of A$3.29M in April 2006 on dollar for dollar basis to complete process optimisations, and construct and operate the Demonstration Pilot Plant (DPP). Laboratory program to optimise flow sheet commenced at
Slide 9: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation For personal use only ANSTO is located at Lucas Heights about 30km south of the Sydney CBD and is one of Australia’s premier research facilities. For 50 years ANSTO has undertaken research in nuclear science and technology with applications whic
Slide 10: Demonstration Pilot Plant - Shed
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT For personal use only October 2006 Bulk sample for Demonstration pilot plant DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Demonstration Pilot Plant - Shed 9
Slide 11: Demonstration Pilot Plant - Kiln
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Demonstration Pilot Plant – Shed Internal For personal use only DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Demonstration Pilot Plant - Kiln 10
Slide 12: Demonstration Pilot Plant - Filter and Solvent Extraction
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Demonstration Pilot Plant – Primary Filter For personal use only DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Demonstration Pilot Plant – Solvent Extraction Circuit 11
Slide 13: Zirconium Recovery and Zircon Industry Uses
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Demonstration Pilot Plant – Zirconium Recovery For personal use only DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Zircon industry CURRENT Other Foundry 2% ZIRCON 14% USES Ceramics Zirconia & 50% Zr Chemicals 12% Global output TV Glass 8% 1,400,000 tpa Refractory 14% Source: Iluka / TZMI 12
Slide 14: Zircon Consumption for Zirconia and Zirconium Chemicals
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Zircon consumption for zirconia – zirconium chemical production For personal use only Demand for zirconia and Zr chemicals to grow zircon consumption from 160kpta to +300ktpa by 2015 DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT ZIRCON / BADDELEYITE ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE Zirconium Chemicals Industry
Slide 15: Zirconia and Zirconium Chemical Uses and Prices
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT For personal use only Current Zirconia Zirconium chemical Uses 2007 Consumption 96,000 tonnes (ZrO2 units) 2010 Estimated 126,000 tonnes with industry growth rate of 4.5%pa High growth areas: Advanced ceramics and catalysts 13.0%pa Ceramic pigments 8.0%pa Source: TZ Minerals I
Slide 16: Niobium Industry Structure and Demand
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Schematic of Niobium Industry Structure For personal use only Metallurgical Structural steels Stainless and heat resistant steels Pyrochlore FeNb Superalloys Super conducting magnets Columbite Nb O 5 Tantalite 2 Oxides Class Ceramics AZL Nb Concentrate Nb Raw Materials Interme
Slide 17: Niobium Price and Rare Earth Distribution in Ore
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Niobium Price – As ferro-niobium units For personal use only Ferro-niobium price spiralled to US$60/kg in March 07 and is currently around US$40 - 50/kg Long term expected to be in US$25 - $35/kg DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Yttrium - Rare Earth Distribution in Ore ppm Wt % La2O3 17
Slide 18: Yttrium - Rare Earth Distribution in Ore Minerals
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Yttrium - Rare Earth Distribution in Ore Minerals For personal use only Source: IMCOA DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Yttrium - Rare Earth Distribution in Ore Minerals Source: IMCOA 17
Slide 19: Probable Outputs
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Probable Outputs For personal use only Base case models of 200,000 to 500,000 tonnes per year of ore processed Product 200ktpa 500ktpa ZBS, ZOH, ZC0 9,000tpa (3ktpa ZrO2) 22,500tpa (7.5ktpa ZrO2) Nb-Ta concentrate 1,000tpa (0.7ktpa Nb2O5)2,500tpa (1.75ktpa Nb2O5) LREE concentr
Slide 20: Geology and Pit Life
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Geology and 20 Year Pit For personal use only 0 200 metres Open pit life at 200kpta ore processed = +400 years Open pit life at 500kpta ore processed = +160 years Dubbo Zirconia Project Toongi rail siding and process plant site Deposit Plant site Railway 19
Slide 21: Why is this project different
DUBBO ZIRCONIA PROJECT Why is this project different For personal use only Majority of “downstream” zirconium products are derived from zircon, whose output is governed by ilmenite/rutile from mineral sands mining operations. Niobium (and tantalum) production dominated by one major company in one co
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