Table 1. Head grades and concentrate compositions for two samples of chromite mineralization.

Discussion of results:

Gravity separation was highly successful, producing material equivalent to high quality metallurgical concentrate at 52% Cr2O3, SiO2 below 3%, and a Cr:Fe ratio of 2.2 from intercalated chromitite to 2.4 from massive chromite. Continued testwork will be aimed at the production of clean concentrates with SiO2 below 1% for end-uses such as foundry sands, chemical feedstock, and refractory applications.

The magnetic separation was successful at producing concentrates suitable for pelletizing as a very high quality direct smelter feed in the range from 47 to 50% Cr2O3. However with SiO2 concentrations in the range 4 - 6% these materials cannot be considered metallurgical concentrates. Ongoing test work is aimed at improving the removal of silica.

The heavy liquid separation was intended to be a diagnostic tool to demonstrate the feasibility of sorting massive chromite from disseminated material using dense media. In this regard it was successful, since the particles being separated in this manner are small rock chips comprising many grains of chromite and gangue. The procedure therefore demonstrates clearly that waste can be separated from potential ore using dense media. However the grain size employed was finer than would normally be used in mine-scale DMS plants and therefore the results should be taken only as encouragement that massive material can be sunk to separate it from finely intercalated and disseminated materials requiring further concentration by magnetic or gravity separation. Further work is planned to determine the DMS recoveries of direct shipping massive chromite ore achievable at the chip (+1 / -6 mm), small lump (+6 / -25 mm), and lump size range (+15 / -80 mm).

The Blackbird deposit contains, in addition to extensive massive beds of chromitite, very large volumes of intercalated thin chromitite beds and weakly to strongly disseminated chromite. The dilulted grades estimated by averaging the intercalated beds appear to be low, and show Cr:Fe ratios that are affected by the presence of iron-rich silicate gangue within the diluted average grades. The present test results demonstrate unequivocally that high grade products can be generated from both kinds of mineralization using conventional low-cost methods of DMS and gravity separation, and show that the Cr2O3 and Cr:Fe content of the extractable chromite is much higher than would be suggested by the diluted values reported over low-grade intersections.

Joseph Hamilton, Co-Chief Executive Officer states that “These metallurgical results are an excellent preliminary start, demonstrating that Noront’s chromite discoveries not only have the potential to be world class, but are high grade and of desirable quality, giving Noront the flexibility to produce a range of chromite materials for a wide variety of end-users. We look forward to finalizing our metallurgical testing.”

Cheers all.

Play the game, guess the tonnage, should we start a pool on tonnage, official 43-101 tonnage.. just a thought.