Altair International - Tennessee Property - Interim Metallurgical Test Results.CODY, Wyo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 1997--ALTAIR (Alberta Stock Exchange Alberta Stock Exchange See Canadian Venture Exchange (CDNX). : AIL AIL 1. Angiocentric immunoproliferative lesion 2. Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy ., NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on : ALTIF) Recovery/concentration tests are continuing on bulk samples of heavy mineral sands collected from Altair's Tennessee property. (See Altair Press Release April 9, 1997) Test work has focused on a medium grade (4 percent total heavy mineral) sand sample. Centrifugal Jig operating variables are being adjusted for this particular feed and recovery/grade data is being accumulated. Results are positive. Tests which emphasize recovery have yielded up to 94 percent heavy mineral recovery with a six to one concentration ratio. (Stated differently: After a single pass through the Centrifugal Jig, 94 percent of the ores value was concentrated in about one sixth of it's original volume, and five sixths of the sand rendered a non valuable discard.) Several passes through the Centrifugal Jig will be necessary to produce a 90 percent total heavy mineral concentrate at the mine site. More work is necessary to determine an optimum plant configuration and to determine the number of Centrifugal Jigs needed. The production of saleable heavy minerals is a two stage process. At the mine site, heavy mineral sands are treated in a "wet mill" where a 90 percent total heavy mineral concentrate is prepared. This concentrate is then taken to a "dry mill" where individual mineral constituents are extracted using a magnetic and high tension electrical separators. Altair's acquisition of the Tennessee property was predicated on the Centrifugal Jig being able to concentrate these known fine grained heavy mineral accumulations. We have established the sands can be processed with the Centrifugal Jig (Previous efforts to exploit this deposit did not advance because available commercial scale gravity recovery equipment was unable to work these fine grained sands.) Heavy mineral concentrates are being tested to determine the relative proportions of individual mineral constituents. Valuable heavy minerals occurring in the deposit include the titanium minerals rutile rutile, mineral, one of three forms of titanium dioxide (TiO2; see titanium). It occurs in crystals, often in twins or rosettes, and is typically brownish red, although there are black varieties. (TiO2), leucoxene (FeTiO2-TiO2), illmenite (FeO- TiO2) and zircon zircon Silicate mineral, zirconium silicate, ZrSiO4, the principal source of zirconium. Zircon is widespread as an accessory mineral in acid igneous rocks; it also occurs in metamorphic rocks and, fairly often, in detrital deposits. (ZrSiO4). Less-valuable heavy minerals include aluminum silicates (staurolite staurolite Silicate mineral produced by regional metamorphism in rocks such as mica schists, slates, and gneisses, where it is generally associated with other minerals. Staurolite is a brittle, hard mineral that has a dull lustre. , sillimanite sillimanite or fibrolite Brown, pale green, or white glassy silicate mineral that often occurs in long, slender, needlelike crystals frequently found in fibrous aggregates. , kyanite kyanite or cyanite or disthene Silicate mineral, one of several phases in the aluminum silicate (Al2SiO5) system. Its colour ranges from gray-green to black or blue, with blue and blue-gray being most common. ), various mica's and other less prominent minerals. Mineralogical min·er·al·o·gy n. pl. min·er·al·o·gies 1. The study of minerals, including their distribution, identification, and properties. 2. A book or treatise on mineralogy. data will be reported shortly. Finally, Altair is commencing a third round of drilling on the property. The focus of this drilling will be to better outline the lateral extent of the higher grade horizontal sheet mineral zones and to further explore the "dune" accumulations. This information will be combined with existent information to allow us to better characterize deposit grade tends and estimate volumes of ore. The Alberta Stock Exchange neither approves nor disapproves of the information contained herein. -0- NOTE TO EDITORS: News releases, 10K and other information on Altair can be accessed at no charge at Web Site CONTACT: Carl Thompson Associates Carl Thompson, 303/ 494-5472 or Carl Thompson Associates Jenny Herring, 303/ 494-5472 or Altair International Inc. Dr. William Long, 307/ 587-8245 |
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