Nevada Zinc Commences a Multiphase Pilot Plant Program to Produce Zinc Sulfate
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 9, 2021) - Nevada Zinc Corporation (TSXV: NZN) ("Nevada Zinc" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the engagement of Hazen Research, Inc., Golden, Colorado ("Hazen") to conduct a multiphase pilot program to develop a flowsheet to recover zinc sulfate monohydrate using a bulk sample from the Company's Lone Mountain zinc project, produce commercial grade zinc sulfate monohydrate product samples, and provide process plant capital and operating cost estimates.
Nevada Zinc will provide a bulk sample from its Lone Mountain project site in Eureka County, Nevada. The scope of work, which will commence this month, will be conducted in four main phases:
- Preliminary assessment and review of recovering and purifying zinc from the bulk sample containing zinc carbonate and silicate mineralization. A conceptual flowsheet will be generated based on the review and findings;
- The conceptual flowsheet steps will be carried out on a small scale to establish the efficacy of the proposed unit operations and to develop target conditions for each step;
- A bulk operation will be conducted to produce approximately 150 lbs. of a commercial grade zinc sulfate monohydrate product (ZnSO4·H2O); and
- An economic evaluation of the production process will be performed to provide estimates for both process plant capital costs and operating costs.
For more than 55 years, Hazen has provided chemical analyses, bench-scale experiments, continuous pilot plant demonstration, and field and other services. Hazen designs flowsheets and reduces scale-up risks for commercial plants throughout the world.
Mr. Max Vichniakov, President and CEO commented, "We are very excited by our progress with the Lone Mountain zinc project and the engagement of a reputable firm like Hazen. The level of work to be carried out by Hazen amounts to a small-scale pilot plant demonstration and will further de-disk our project on the processing side. This program will allow us to produce zinc sulfate bulk samples to showcase to the industry as well as our strategic partners and also help us to determine process plant operating and capital costs. North American agricultural markets have been experiencing an upbeat momentum with rising crop and crop input prices over the recent months and showing positive demand outlook. In this market environment, we believe Nevada Zinc is uniquely positioned to capitalize on its integrated "mine, process, end-user product" strategy in the zinc sulfate products markets for the US agricultural sector. The pilot program represents a significant milestone for Nevada Zinc and further advances our highly prospective Lone Mountain zinc project."
The program is expected to take approximately six months to complete. The Company looks forward to providing regular updates and announcing results from the pilot program as soon as they become available.
About Nevada Zinc
The Company is focused on its 100% owned Lone Mountain zinc project in central Nevada where it has been working since 2014 on a significant zinc oxide/carbonate zone of mineralization. To-date, the Company has completed an initial resource estimate and a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") of the potential economic viability of the project under a variety of assumptions. The PEA does not incorporate the potentially significant incremental economic benefits that could accrue to the Company from re-configuring the open pit mine and plant design to a simpler process that would focus on a lower cost production process for the concentrated zinc mineralization that could then be leached on-site and formulated into high-value zinc sulfate chemical products for the US agricultural sector. In July of 2020 the Company entered into a Collaboration Agreement with Cameron Chemicals Inc., a leading U.S. producer and distributor of granular micronutrients to the agricultural, turf, and horticultural industries. Cameron has manufacturing facilities in the states of Washington, Virginia and Michigan. Under the terms of the Collaboration Agreement, Nevada Zinc and Cameron will work together to establish a range of zinc-based micronutrient products to be produced by the Company and marketed by Cameron through its distribution networks. The Company successfully completed an oversubscribed private placement in February 2021, and in March commenced a multiphase pilot program to produce zinc sulfate from a bulk sample to further de-risk and advance its highly prospective Lone Mountain zinc project.
Additional information about the Company is available on the Company's website: www.nevadazinc.com
For further information please contact:
Nevada Zinc Corporation
82 Richmond St. East, First Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5C 1P1
Tel: 416-409-8441
Max Vichniakov, President & CEO
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the results, timing and content of the work to be performed by Hazen. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, the multiphase program to be developed by Hazen, results of exploration, project development, reclamation and capital costs of the Company's mineral properties, and the Company's financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Neither the 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 news release.
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