May 1, 2012 (Source: TUC Resources) — TUC Resources is very pleased to report recoveries of up to 85% from the latest leach tests on Heavy Rare Earth (HREE**) rich clays from the Stromberg Prospect. This is a 10% improvement on initial test work.
Highlights Positive results have again been gained from metallurgical and mineralogical test work on material from TUC’s Stromberg HREE Prospect:-
Excitingly, the latest results from metallurgical test work have increased Total Rare Earth (TREE) recoveries to 85% using a multi-stage reagent process. This is a 10% improvement from an initial TREE recovery figure of 77% reported in TUC’s ASX Announcement dated 5 March 2012.
Promisingly, work indicates that recovery from lower grade material is comparable to higher grade recoveries, with a 0.2% to 0.4% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO*) composite giving a 77% recovery of TREE.
Leaching of the HREE’s into solution potentially results in a more direct processing route to a REE intermediate/carbonate material, which will allow TUC to generate more competitively valued product, when compared to other concentration methods.
Xenotime is the dominant rare earth mineral at Stromberg. It is known for its excellent recovery characteristics and is in demand from the global rare earth processing industry. A simple processing method may assist the Stromberg HREE Project in more rapidly producing a saleable product/concentrate when compared to other REE projects.