Thunder Bay, ON - 7 February 2017 - Zenyatta Ventures Ltd. ("Zenyatta" or "Company") (TSX VENTURE: ZEN) (OTCQX: ZENYF)is pleased to provide results from classification tests performed by Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems Labs ('Hosokawa') on graphite material taken from both the East and West pipes of the Albany deposit. Classification testing by Hosokawa on a larger batch of high-purity graphite material shows a consistent and desirable particle size distribution ('PSD') similar to that obtained from a previous but smaller batch regardless of whether it is East or West pipe material.
The Albany deposit PSD was found to be in a range that is desirable for many clean-tech graphite and graphene applications. It does not require further grinding and processing to adjust for particle size specifications in products being developed with our collaborators. Discussion and requests from the various global corporations, collaborating with Zenyatta, has shown an approximate average particle size of 5-7 microns to be desirable for conversion to graphene and powder metallurgy applications while an average particle size of 18-22 microns is desirable for lithium-ion battery and fuel cell applications. Additionally, these recent tests at Hosokawa showed it is possible to easily separate Zenyatta graphite into these and other different size fractions without any grinding or further processing.
Bharat Chahar, VP Market Development of Zenyatta stated "Much like we observed prior, Hosokawa classification showed the natural 'PSD' of Albany graphite material is already in the desirable range for many applications with no micronization needed. Micronization, which adds costs and may result in a significant loss of graphite material, is the process of reducing the average particle size of a material in order to meet the end-user specification for a certain application. Repetition of test results obtained on material from both East and West pipes gives us confidence in the ability to produce a consistently sized material from the Albany graphite resource."
A consistent raw material source for an end-user's supply chain is critical in order to maintain long term quality control for product specifications. Zenyatta's Albany graphite deposit shows this important consistency on PSD. Additionally, recent metallurgical test work at SGS on the flotation pilot scale testing is demonstrating consistently similar concentrate grades and recoveries from both the East and West pipe graphite material. Zenyatta is currently waiting for assays and mass balance data before it will be in a position to report final results from this test work.
Zenyatta continues to develop its unique Albany graphite deposit in Ontario, Canada. The Company's highly crystalline (Igneous hosted) graphite deposit is situated 30 km north of the Trans-Canada Highway, power line and natural gas pipeline near the communities of Constance Lake First Nation and Hearst. A rail line is located 70 km away with an all-weather road approximately 10 km from the deposit.
Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems (New Jersey, USA) designs and manufactures size reduction systems and powder processing solutions for the Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Food, Mineral, Cosmetic and Plastic industries. It is part of the Hosokawa Micron Group (Osaka, Japan), a world leader in providing process solutions in the fields of powder and particle processing technology. Hosokawa maintains facilities in Americas, Asia/Oceania, and Europe advancing development and commercialization of ultra-fine composite particles in the rapidly expanding field of Nano Particle technology.
Dr. Bharat Chahar, P.E., VP Market Development for Zenyatta, is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed, prepared and supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release. To find out more on Zenyatta Ventures Ltd., please visit the website www.zenyatta.ca or contact the Company at info@zenyatta.ca or Tel. 807-346-1660.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: 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. This news release may contain forward looking information and Zenyatta cautions readers that forward looking information is based on certain assumptions and risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations of Zenyatta included in this news release. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements", which often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". These statements are based on information currently available to Zenyatta and Zenyatta provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. This testing does not represent a statistically large sample size. Furthermore, these positive results do not mean that Zenyatta can extract and process Albany graphite for high-purity graphite applications on an economic basis. Without a formal independent feasibility study, there is no assurance that the operation will be economic. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements with respect to Zenyatta's future plans, objectives or goals, to the effect that Zenyatta or management expects a stated condition or result to occur, including the expected timing for release of a pre-feasibility or feasibility studies, the expected uses for graphite in the future, and the future uses of the graphite from Zenyatta's Albany deposit. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of metallurgical processing, ongoing exploration, project development, reclamation and capital costs of Zenyatta's mineral properties, and Zenyatta's financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as, but are not limited to: failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves; the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; the inability to identify target markets and satisfy the product criteria for such markets; the inability to complete a prefeasibility study; the inability to enter into offtake agreements with qualified purchasers; delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals; political risks; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates; fluctuations in commodity prices; delays in the development of projects; capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry; and those risks set out in Zenyatta's public documents filed on SEDAR. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Zenyatta's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on Zenyatta's forward-looking statements. Although Zenyatta believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Zenyatta disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
Zenyatta Ventures Ltd. info@zenyatta.ca Tel. 807-346-1660 www.zenyatta.ca
