KELOWNA, BC, March 15, 2021 /CNW/ - Metalex Ventures
Ltd. (TSXV: MTX) (the "Company") is pleased to announce
that it has identified ilmenite to be the source of the highly
anomalous scandium on its 100% owned claims 100km southeast of
Chibougmau, Quebec, which are
close to highway 167.
Metalex collected 8,698 heavy mineral samples covering an area
of over 250,000km2. As was recently announced
(December 3, 2020) the heavy,
non-magnetic concentrate with the highest scandium as measured in
both micrograms and ppm was detected on a wholly owned Metalex
claim block along with strongly anomalous gold.
A split of the weakly magnetic concentrates from the same sample
was subsequently analyzed by neutron activation analysis at Actlabs
in Ancaster, Ontario and was found
to contain seven to eight times higher amounts of scandium than the
original non-magnetic concentrates.
The balance of the weakly magnetic concentrate was separated at
CF Mineral Research Ltd. ("CFM") into a conductive
concentrate. A total of 784 ilmenite grains were selected
from the conductive concentrate using a binocular microscope.
91 of these selected grains were then analyzed using a Cameca
SXFive Field Emission microprobe and were found to contain between
2.7 and 372ppm scandium with an average of 26.3ppm. The
complete microprobe analyses of ilmenites with the six highest
scandium results are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Scandium-rich ilmenite compositions.
|
Grain
|
SiO2
|
TiO2
|
Al2O3
|
Cr2O3
|
Fe2O3
|
FeO
|
MgO
|
CaO
|
MnO
|
NiO
|
ZnO
|
Nb2O5
|
Sc
|
Total
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
ppm
|
%
|
|
409
|
0.03
|
46.63
|
0.02
|
0.02
|
11.66
|
35.51
|
0.42
|
0.00
|
5.63
|
0.01
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
372
|
99.92
|
|
506
|
0.02
|
47.98
|
0.01
|
0.00
|
7.76
|
37.82
|
0.10
|
0.00
|
5.20
|
0.00
|
0.05
|
0.14
|
271
|
99.08
|
|
304
|
0.03
|
48.13
|
0.01
|
0.01
|
7.75
|
34.25
|
0.41
|
0.00
|
7.95
|
0.02
|
0.49
|
0.16
|
176
|
99.20
|
|
314
|
0.03
|
47.67
|
0.00
|
0.01
|
9.16
|
37.54
|
0.35
|
0.01
|
4.68
|
0.00
|
0.03
|
0.02
|
98
|
99.50
|
|
101
|
0.02
|
43.37
|
0.02
|
0.00
|
17.63
|
37.22
|
0.09
|
0.00
|
1.64
|
0.00
|
0.07
|
0.08
|
51
|
100.14
|
|
806
|
0.05
|
47.35
|
0.01
|
0.00
|
8.57
|
39.26
|
0.18
|
0.00
|
3.00
|
0.01
|
0.05
|
0.03
|
50
|
98.52
|
Adding scandium to aluminum produces alloys that are far
stronger and 30 to 40% lighter than steel. Consequently,
scandium-aluminum alloys are very valuable and in demand in the
aerospace, automotive, military and 3D printing industries.
Most of the world's scandium is produced in China.
However, Rio Tinto has announced that they are building the first
scandium-oxide plant in North
America with an initial capacity to supply approximately 20%
of the global market. The plant will be situated near
Montreal, Quebec at the Rio Tinto
Fer et Titane metallurgical complex. The plant will be
recovering scandium oxide from ilmenite tailings after high quality
titanium dioxide feed stock, pig iron, steel and metal powders are
extracted. The ilmenite ore is sourced from Rio Tinto's mine
at Lac Tio, near Allard Lake, Quebec where it is railed 42km to a port and
then shipped almost 900km along the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the plant.
According to Alexandsandrovsky et al., Ores and Metals
Publishers, Moscow, 2004, about 2
million tons per year of ilmenite containing 10 to 20ppm scandium
yields about 20 to 40 tons of scandium oxide. The Metalex
directors are most encouraged that scandium-rich ilmenites have
been found in samples within our claims. These ilmenites, on
average, contain greater than the 10-20ppm scandium in ilmenite
that are commonly used to recover scandium oxide. The
91 ilmenites analyzed from the conductive concentrate had an
average of 26.3ppm scandium with values of up to 372ppm
scandium.
The same conductive concentrates have been produced at CFM from
23 additional heavy mineral samples collected from the claims and
have been sent to Actlabs to be analyzed for gold, scandium and 32
other elements. These results will be reported when
received.
Metalex has contracted Geotech Ltd. to fly a combined airborne
magnetic and electromagnetic survey over the claims with the intent
to identify drill targets for massive ilmenite horizons similar to
the Lac Tio deposits being mined by Rio Tinto.
The technical information and results reported here have been
reviewed by Mr. Chad Ulansky
P.Geol., a Qualified Person under National Instrument
43-101, who is responsible for the technical content of this
release.
Signed,
Charles Fipke
Charles Fipke
Chairman
Forward Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained herein may be forward-looking
statements which involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties. Without limitation, statements regarding
potential mineralization and resources, exploration and financing
results, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward
looking statements that involve various risks. The following
are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results
to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward looking statements: changes in the world wide price of
mineral commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in
mineral exploration, risks associated with development,
construction and mining operations, the uncertainty of future
profitability and the uncertainty of access to additional capital.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will
prove to be accurate as actual results and future events may differ
materially from those anticipated in such statements. Metalex
undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements
if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should
change. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such
forward-looking statements.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Metalex Ventures Ltd.
