REG - Bezant Resources PLC - Kanye Project: Metallurgical Test Work Results

Bezant ResourcesAnnouncement

24/07/2023 15:00

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RNS Number : 0017H  Bezant Resources PLC  24 July 2023

 

 

 

24 July 2023

Bezant Resources Plc

("Bezant" or the "Company")

Results from Phase 1 Metallurgical Test Work on Kanye Manganese Sample

 

Bezant (AIM: BZT) is pleased to provide information on encouraging results of
Phase 1 metallurgical testing carried out by Wardell Armstrong International
('WAI') on a sample from its' 100% owned Kanye manganese exploration project
in Botswana. The primary objective of the work was to investigate the
amenability of extracting manganese from the Kanye mineralisation by sulphuric
acid leaching.

 

Highlights:

 

·    Sulphuric acid leaching successfully demonstrates an amenability to
extract manganese from the Kanye sample into solution, with recoveries of up
to 99.4% Mn achieved at a temperature of 60(o)C.

 

·    Sulphur dioxide addition was found to have a direct correlation to
the overall manganese recovery.

 

·    Most tests demonstrated fast leach kinetics with relative manganese
recoveries after 1 hour of leaching ranging up to 90.7%.

 

·    Whole rock analysis showed relatively simple mineralogy, the main
manganese mineral in the Kanye sample being pyrolusite, which is the chief ore
mineral for mine production worldwide.

 

·    Based on the encouraging initial results, Bezant has engaged WAI to
carry out Phase 2 testwork to optimise the leaching parameters for economic
processing of a manganese ore, whilst tracking other elements relevant to the
economics of battery-grade manganese production.

 

 

Colin Bird, Executive Chairman of Bezant, commented:

"The first phase of metallurgical testing is highly encouraging in that we
have demonstrated our ability to recover a high level of manganese. The next
phase will move towards commercial optimisation of the leaching parameters,
with specific emphasis on limiting sulphuric acid consumption. We are aiming
for battery grade manganese production which is much sought after and we look
forward to moving towards resource definition and a preliminary economic
assessment."

 

 

 

Kanye Phase 1 Metallurgical Test Work

 

Wardell Armstrong International (WAI) was commissioned by Bezant to undertake
a programme of metallurgical testing on a sample from the Kanye manganese
deposit, Botswana. The primary objective of the testwork was to investigate
the amenability of effectively extracting manganese from the mineralisation by
sulphuric acid leaching. A secondary objective was to undertake a small
programme of sample characterisation including chemical, XRF and XRD analysis.

 

X-Ray Fluorescence analysis on the whole rock samples was conducted to
determine the weight percentage of major rock-forming elements. The results
showed that the sample primarily consisted of silicon dioxide and manganese
oxide constituents, with minor phases of iron oxide and aluminium oxide.

 

X-Ray Diffraction analysis on the whole rock sample was conducted to determine
the weight percentage of individual mineral phases. The results showed that
the sample primarily consisted of quartz, with lesser pyrolusite, goethite and
talc.

 

WAI determined the Kanye composite to have a manganese head grade of 15.48% Mn
obtained using an aqua regia digestion with an ICP-OES finish.

 

Six leach tests were conducted on the sample under varying conditions such as
grind size, sulphur dioxide addition, and pH at a temperature of 60(o)C. A
benchmark review of similar projects found sulphur dioxide to be an important
parameter in the reduction of manganese to become more amenable to sulphuric
acid leaching.

 

 Table 1 - Whole Ore Acid Leach Test Results for Kanye Mn Sample
 Test ID  Grind Size (D(80))  SO(2) Addition  pH   Mn recovery  H(2)SO(4) Consumption
          µm                  kg/t            %                 kg/t
 ALT1     200                 0.34            1.0  1.9          114
 ALT2     150                 0.34            1.0  1.5          27
 ALT3     200                 500             1.0  99.4         477
 ALT4     200                 50              1.0  27.3         35
 ALT5     200                 250             1.0  82.6         246
 ALT6     200                 250             1.5  79.2         217

 

 

The relationship observed demonstrates that sulphur dioxide (SO(2)) addition
has a strong correlation to the overall manganese recovery (Table 1). Overall
manganese recovery ranges from 1.9% to 99.4% for 0.34kg/t to 500kg/t of
sulphur dioxide addition for ALT1 and ALT3 respectively.

 

In ALT6, pH was increased from 1.0 to 1.5 to reduce the overall acid
consumption over the course of the leach to obtain more economic conditions
for processing. Sulphuric acid consumption was reduced from 246kg/t to 217kg/t
resulting in a decrease of overall manganese recovery from 82.6% to 79.2% for
ALT5 and ALT6 respectively.

 

Except for ALT1 and ALT2, where the resolution of the leach kinetics could be
distorted as a result of poor recoveries, all tests demonstrate fast leach
kinetics with relative manganese recoveries after 1 hour of leaching ranging
from 84.9% to 90.7% for ALT6 and ALT3 respectively.

 

Sample Characterisation

 

·    WAI determined the Kanye composite to have a manganese head grade of
15.48% Mn obtained using an aqua regia digestion with an ICP-OES finish;

·    X-Ray Fluorescence analysis found the major elemental oxide present
in the sample is silicon dioxide, with lesser amounts of manganese, iron, and
aluminium oxides at 63.83%, 17.94%, 6.02%, and 2.61% respectively.

·    X-Ray Diffraction analysis found the major mineral phases present
were quartz and pyrolusite at 71.4% and 10.4% respectively. This is comparable
to the metal composition from XRF analysis.

 

Sulphuric Acid Leach Testwork

 

·    Sulphuric acid leaching demonstrated an amenability to extract
manganese from the sample into solution. Manganese recoveries of 99.4% could
be achieved at a pH of 1.0 and sulphur dioxide addition of 500kg/t;

·    Sulphur dioxide addition values were found to have a direct
correlation to the overall manganese recovery;

·    With the exception of ALT1 and ALT2, the leach kinetics of manganese
recovery were shown to be fast, with relative leach rates after 1 hour ranging
from 84.9% to 90.7% for ALT6 and ALT3 respectively;

·    Acid consumption values ranged from 27kg/t to 477kg/t for ALT2 and
ALT3 respectively;

·    pH was shown to influence the overall manganese recovery with a
decrease from 82.6% to 79.2% when pH was increased from 1.0 to 1.5 for ALT5
and ALT6 respectively.

 

Planned Phase 2 Test Work - WAI Recommendations

 

The primary objective is to continue from the previous phase of acid leach
testwork to optimise the leaching parameters for economic processing of a
manganese ore, whilst tracking a range of other elements relevant to the
economics of battery-grade manganese production.

Specifically, WAI recommended the following:

 

·    Undertake further optimisation leaching testwork to decrease the
level of acid consumption over the course of the leach. This could include
variables such as further grind size investigation at elevated recoveries,
leach optimisation at elevated pH, increased temperature, and calcination
pre-treatment;

·    Track the recovery of other analytes that are likely to have an
impact on the downstream purification process circuit of battery-grade
manganese sulphate monohydrate production; and

·    Consider maintaining a redox potential with the addition of sulphur
dioxide throughout the leaching process at defined intervals, as opposed to a
single, substantial addition at the beginning of the leach process.

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 Bezant Resources Plc

+44 (0)20 3416 3695
 Colin Bird

 
 Executive Chairman

 Beaumont Cornish (Nominated Adviser)       +44 (0) 20 7628 3396

Roland Cornish / Asia Szusciak

 Novum Securities Limited (Joint Broker)

 Jon Belliss                                +44 (0) 20 7399 9400

 Shard Capital Partners LLP (Joint Broker)  +44 (0) 20 7186 9952

 Damon Heath

 

 

Beaumont Cornish (Nominated Adviser)

Roland Cornish / Asia Szusciak

 

+44 (0) 20 7628 3396

Novum Securities Limited (Joint Broker)

Jon Belliss

 

 

+44 (0) 20 7399 9400

 

Shard Capital Partners LLP (Joint Broker)

Damon Heath

+44 (0) 20 7186 9952

or visit http://www.bezantresources.com (http://www.bezantresources.com)

 

 

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to
constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations
(EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law pursuant to the Market
Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) regulations (SI 2019/310).

 

Qualified Person:

Technical information in this announcement has been reviewed by Edward (Ed)
Slowey, BSc, PGeo, technical director of Bezant Resources Plc. Mr Slowey is a
graduate geologist with more than 40 years' relevant experience in mineral
exploration and mining, a founder member of the Institute of Geologists of
Ireland and is a Qualified Person under the AIM rules.  Mr Slowey has
reviewed and approved this announcement.

 

Glossary

 

The following is a summary of technical terms:

 

 "mineralisation"  Process of formation and concentration of elements and their chemical

                 compounds within a mass or body of rock

 "Mn"              Manganese

 "MnO"             Manganese oxide

 "shale"           A fine-grained laminated sediment

 "SO(2)"           Sulphur dioxide

 "XRD"             X-ray diffraction

 "XRF"             X-ray fluorescence

 

 

 

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