TIR titan resources limited

4th q report

  1. 321 Posts.
    Titan Resources NL - Report on activities for quarter ended 30 June 2003 Page 5
    BioHeapTM Process Development
    Technical development work continued during the quarter with the progress of the large-scale column
    tests in Perth designed to verify the laboratory results obtained on the in-heap generation of dilute
    sulphuric acid by bacterial action on elemental sulphur. This process variation has the potential to
    provide major cost savings and thereby substantial economic benefits to the overall BioHeapTM
    Process route. Work also continued on the testing of nickel ores from China and from WMC – Leinster
    and began on samples from the Widgiemooltha area. Trials on the bacterial leaching of chalcopyrite
    ores from Mongolia and South America continued with excellent progressive results for the recovery
    of copper, while several other interested parties have submitted copper ores for preliminary
    investigation.
    AUSTRALIA
    The laboratory evaluation of residual mineralised material from WMC Resources Limited mines at
    Leinster is approaching completion. While negotiations are continuing, no Agreement has yet been
    reached as to the future of this opportunity. Testing of disseminated nickel ores from Titan’s own
    deposits in the Widgiemooltha area has started and is likely to become a major focus of interest over
    the coming months.
    The large-scale column tests of the in-heap generation of sulphuric acid from elemental sulphur using
    bacterial action are now in full swing and will form an important part of the future use and planning of
    the leaching of nickel ores in the eastern goldfields of WA.
    Work is about to commence on the testing the bacterial leaching characteristics, using the company’s
    proprietary cultures, on an Australian chalcopyrite deposit.
    CHINA
    The Jinchuan Group are currently evaluating a comprehensive process route, designed by Titan, for
    the extraction of nickel from their very extensive low-grade reserves. This plan also involves a method
    to recover the water and sulphuric acid accompanied by the production of a magnesium by-product
    to integrate the nickel extraction and improve the overall economics. The two companies have also
    signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly promote the application of the BioHeapTM Process
    to other nickel and base metal deposits within China. Following that Agreement, Jinchuan have
    introduced Titan to a group of large nickel sulphide deposits near the city of Hami, in a remote
    area,1,850 km west-north-west of Beijing and 850 km north-west of Jinchang. A Titan metallurgist
    visited the area in March this year, in company with Jinchuan personnel, to assess the suitability of
    these ore deposits to the BioHeap™ treatment route.
    Production from the Hami nickel field is currently from three areas: Huang Shan East and West and
    Xiang Shan. At present the confirmed resources at the two Huang Shan deposits is 140 million tonnes
    of mineralisation containing 690,000 tonnes of nickel metal. There are strong indications of significant
    extensions to this mineralised system. The Hami operating companies are keen to substantially
    increase their nickel production and see bacterial leaching as potentially the most beneficial
    processing method for these very large ore deposits. The first step in this direction has now been
    taken with a composite sample of ore from the three deposits being sent to Australia for testing in
    Titan’s Perth laboratories. Preliminary work on this sample has begun.
    COPPER
    The bacterial leaching of chalcopyrite (copper) ores from Mongolia and South America is in progress
    and producing excellent copper recoveries. The nature of the ore deposits and full details of the
    success of both of these trials are subject to the provisions of commercial confidentiality, but the
    company is extremely encouraged by the progress and the developments in this area.


    I have only included the bio-heap news, as the previous drill results are already well known.
 
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