MONTREAL, Aug. 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sama Resources Inc. (“Sama” or the “Company”) (TSX-V:SME) is pleased to announce that recent tests conducted by CVMR Corporation (“CVMR”) on Samapleu mineralized material returned recovery rates of 92% and 85% nickel and iron, respectively.
The quality nickel produced will be suitable for a wide range of end-use applications, including rechargeable batteries, aerospace uses, metal injection molding for automotive and medical instrumentation parts as well as feed material for 3D additive manufacturing. Moreover, the premium nickel and iron powders produced from the concentrate are expected to improve with system optimization during the subsequent campaign.
The cobalt and copper were upgraded by 228% and 279%, respectively, in the post-production concentrate compared to the grade of the feed source. Following the recovery of nickel and iron, the copper, cobalt and PGE (platinum-group metals) became more concentrated to levels that can potentially be sold as such or further refined for added value. Assays were performed by SGS Canada, an accredited and independent laboratory.
The test is part of a second campaign conducted on the Samapleu flotation concentrate of polymetallic nickel-iron-copper-cobalt sulphide under the terms of the agreement signed with CVMR (reference Sama’s press release dated June 8, 2017).
The testing was conducted using five kilograms of sulfide concentrate, which was produced from Samapleu mineralized material by the Centre de Technologies et de Plasturgie (“CTMP”), Tedford Mines, Canada. Sama supplied five kilograms of concentrate to CVMR, out of which 1.3 kilograms was treated thought CVMR’s carbonylization process to produce nickel and iron metal powder.
CVMR will be conducting additional metallurgical testing in which operating parameters will be optimized to improve recoveries. The final products, metal powders, which currently hold a substantial premium above the current LME prices, will provide Sama with a market advantage and growth opportunity not previously available.
The geological formation of the Samapleu deposit is ideally suited to CVMR’s nickel and iron powder production technology. The manufacture of metal components and additives has undergone a paradigm shift in the past ten years as 3D printing and metal injection moulding are replacing many other manufacturing methods. Accordingly, the demand for nickel and iron powders is increasing at a rate greater than previously forcasted.
A Proven Process with In-Demand Products
Global nickel carbonyl powder production capacity is approximately 37,000 metric tons per year, with the main producers being Vale (Inco) in Canada and Wales, Jilin Jien, and Jinchuan in China, Norilsk in Russia and CVMR in Canada. Iron powder production capacity is reported to be around 29,000 metric tons per year, with BASF of Germany being the largest manufacturer followed by Ashland in USA, Sintez in Russia, CVMR in Canada and Jilin Jien in China.
Readers are invited to visit CVMR’s website at: http://www.cvmr.ca.
The technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Marc-Antoine Audet, P.Geo, President & CEO, Sama and qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
