Thursday, July 28, 2011

Laramide Resources Ltd. [TSX: LAM] - Reports Exceptional Metallurgy Results, Updates Scoping Study

Laramide Reports Exceptional Westmoreland Metallurgy Results and Commences
Updated Scoping Study


Toronto, Canada – Laramide Resources Ltd. (“Laramide” or the “Company”) (TSX:LAM) is pleased to announce that it has received the final report from The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (“ANSTO”) for comprehensive metallurgical test work carried out on its 100% owned Westmoreland Project located in Queensland, Australia. The ANSTO report, which was commissioned by Laramide in late 2010, is intended to identify definitive process route options for the Westmoreland Project and to provide engineering design data sufficient to support a pre-feasibility level of study.
Report highlights include:
-The ANSTO study was completed on four composite lens samples (Junnagunna, Redtree Upper, Redtree Lower and Jacks) of the Westmoreland deposit.
- High recoveries were achieved from all areas using a conventional uranium processing route.
- The Redtree and Junnagunna samples were readily leached under conventional leaching conditions (55 wt% solids, 40 °C, pH 1.5, P80 of 250 μm and ORP of 500 mV). For these conditions uranium extraction was 97% for both ores, with acid additions of only 18 and 14 kg/t for Junnagunna and Redtree, respectively. Predicted pyrolusite requirements were also low at 3.0 kg/t for both ores.
“We are very pleased with results of the metallurgical test work recently completed by ANSTO,” stated Marc Henderson, President and CEO of Laramide. “They corroborate and improve on earlier test work done by ANSTO and confirm our belief in the merits and economics of the project. Very high recoveries of uranium were achieved with the use of a conventional metallurgical processing route and the positive results of the ion exchange loading studies will merit further study as they introduce the possibility of a meaningful reduction in capital costs. Whatever process route is ultimately decided, Westmoreland is clearly a very robust, low technical risk project and only requires political change in Queensland to proceed.”

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