TORONTO, July 15, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Strata Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: SMP ) ("Strata" or the "Company") is pleased to announce final results and conclusions from the Company's Phase 1 exploration program at its 80% owned Cardabia Phosphate Project ("Cardabia") located near Exmouth in Western Australia.
Key Findings
Strata's key findings from the Phase 1 program of exploration drilling and preliminary metallurgical test work at Cardabia are summarized as follows:
- Drill hole results consistently demonstrate the presence of a shallow sedimentary unit hosting P 2 O 5 within mineralized zones totaling approximately 0.5 - 2.0 meters in thickness, with an average thickness of 1.0 meters;
- The unit is observed to reach its easterly extent and outcrop along a northeast-southwest trend of some 21 km in the southeastern section of the Cardabia tenements, and dips gently to the north-west;
- In head grade samples with sufficient mass to the +1mm fraction, the coarse material averaged 19.9% P 2 O 5 with a starting head grade average of 1.8%;
- The phosphate mineral is concentrated in the form of apatite and does not appear to be entrained with waste minerals; and,
- Combined Fe 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 assay results in samples analyzed were high, but are potentially manageable in a conventional flotation process. Testing indicated that U 3 O 8 concentrates in the coarse fractions; however, on average, the levels are well below currently accepted limits.
Notwithstanding some of the findings above and the favorable logistical advantages of Cardabia, a preliminary assessment of the potential economics of any future mining operation on the property indicates that Strata should pursue potentially higher grade, thicker and generally shallower mineralization. The material outlined in holes drilled by Strata to date in the south-east quadrant of the 2,230 sq km Cardabia property are not considered of sufficient quality to warrant being advanced to a resource.
Elsewhere at Cardabia, historical broad spaced drilling conducted by CRA Exploration (now Rio Tinto) suggests the potential for thicker phosphate horizons. With the conclusion of the Phase 1 exploration program, the Company will proceed with required remediation of surface disturbances related to Phase 1 and undertake a more detailed desktop study of historical CRA exploration data in the north-west region of the property. The purpose of this desktop study will be to further quantify exploration potential in that area and to develop a new field program for consideration.
"Strata remains committed to a prudent approach to exploration at Cardabia; balancing the level of potential risk with the level of potential reward", said Hugh Agro, Chairman & Director. "The Company looks forward to reporting back to shareholders on the results of the Cardabia desktop study and to further developments as we continue to seek new opportunities to build the business and earn superior long term returns for our shareholders", he added.
Final Drill Results from Phase 1 Program
The Phase 1 exploration program at Cardabia was undertaken over the course of the past twelve months on two of the Company's six tenements in the south-east quadrant of the property.
Activities were primarily aimed at verifying and quantifying historical exploration work conducted by CRA in 1990, which indicated the presence of a large phosphate-bearing horizon with a strike length of 21 km between South Paddock Dam and Karleedra Dam on the property. Activities were further aimed at testing for deleterious elements, assessing the need and potential for beneficiation and the identification of potentially thicker and shallower horizons mineralized with P 2 O 5 .
In total, 74 holes were drilled in the Phase 1 exploration program over tenements E08/2303 and E08/2302 using half metre sampling.
Initial results from 5 drill holes at Cardabia were announced on December 20, 2012. Results from a further 11 holes were announced on April 4, 2013 and results from a further 44 holes were announced on May 31, 2013. Included in this release are results from the final 10 holes of the program.
Four holes from the program were not submitted for assaying as two holes had no indications of phosphate within core cuttings and the samples from two holes had issues in transport and handling.
Drill hole assay results published by the Company are only for samples extracted from the drill holes that showed head grade values above 0.9% P 2 O 5 . Selected samples were then sized into four fractions (+4.75 mm, -4.75 to +1 mm, -1 mm to 75 um and -75 um) for further assay.
An illustration outlining the location of all 74 holes drilled in the Phase 1 exploration program and the location of all 10 holes analyzed for the results published in this release is provided in Figure 1 below and is available on the Company's website at www.strataminerals.com .
Sizing and XRF assay sample results received for the 10 holes included in this release are provided in Table 1 below and is available on the Company's website.
A lithological interpretation of the 10 holes referenced above is presented in Figure 2 below and is available on the Company's website.
QEMSCAN Metallurgical Test Analysis
In addition to the completion of all drill hole assaying, Strata completed QEMSCAN metallurgical test analysis on a select number of representative samples at Cardabia.
The analysis was carried out on five drill hole samples using the same four size divisions as that used in the drill hole assay test work for a total of twenty samples analyzed.
The analysis was aimed at testing the mineralogy and potential metallurgical behavior of P 2 O 5 within the samples relative to other minerals. Such test work is useful in providing an initial indication of how well P 2 O 5 may be extracted from host material.
Results from Strata's QEMSCAN tests show that significant P 2 O 5 concentrations occur in the form of apatite in the two coarse grained fractions sampled. The tests further indicate that P 2 O 5 is significantly liberated within the samples and not entrained with unwanted minerals such as silica.
Overall, the results show that the liberation of apatite is good in the coarse fraction of +1mm, and reasonable in the +75um to 1mm fraction sampled. Within the -75um fraction sampled, there is poor apatite concentration and the minerals appear to be interlocked with mica. This fraction would therefore likely be discarded as waste in any potential future beneficiation process.
These initial results are considered favorable and indicate that any future P 2 O 5 bearing material mined at Cardabia has potential for being treated using a conventional beneficiation process.
Phase 1 Program Conclusions
Strata's Phase 1 activities at Cardabia satisfied a number of objectives set at the outset of the exploration program:
- The program confirmed historic CRA exploration results and the presence of a large P 2 O 5 anomaly at Cardabia;
- The program demonstrated that relatively high concentrations of P 2 O 5 are present in material below the 5.6 mm size threshold sampled by CRA and above the 1 mm size threshold sampled by Strata;
- The program established that there are no obvious insurmountable metallurgical challenges to the potential beneficiation of material sampled to date at Cardabia; and
- The program improved Strata's understanding of the location, grade and orientation of P 2 O 5 mineralization in the south-east quadrant of the Cardabia property and provided important district-wide information on the geological setting for potential P 2 O 5 deposition elsewhere on the property.
Strata's team of technical consultants has concluded that Cardabia remains a prospective property for phosphate exploration and has recommended that further work be undertaken to investigate this potential.
This news release was authorized by Darryl Mapleson who is a Fellow of the AusIMM and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Mapleson has reviewed the preparation of the scientific and technical information in this release.
"Peter Kozicz"
President, CEO
About Strata Minerals Inc.
Strata Minerals Inc. is an emerging, primarily Australasia focused, agricultural nutrient company exploring for commercial scale phosphate rock mineralization deposits. Armed with the objectives of becoming a supplier to the global fertilizer industry and generating wealth for its shareholders, Strata is currently advancing its Cardabia phosphate exploration project in Western Australia and investigating new opportunities for growth elsewhere in the world. All references to the Company in this release include the Company's wholly owned Australian subsidiary, Strata Minerals Pty Ltd. For further information, please refer to the Company's website at www.strataminerals.com .
Additional disclosure of the Company's financial statements, technical reports, material change reports, news releases and other information can be obtained on SEDAR at www.sedar.com .
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included herein constitute forward-looking statements. The words "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "propose" and "may" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding exploration results and the development and operation of Strata's mineral properties. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management teams of Strata, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks and accordingly may not occur as described herein or at all. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements.
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.
(Image with caption: "Phase 1 Exploration Program - May 2013 - Figure 1 - Cardabia Drillhole Location Plan ". To view this image, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2712/602...larged.jpg )
| Table 1 | |||||||||
| STRATA MINERALS INC. | |||||||||
| Cardabia Project | P 2 O 5 Grade by Sized Fraction Assay Upgrade | ||||||||
| Phase 1 Exploration Program Additional Results June 30, 2013 | |||||||||
| Hole Number | Sample Number | Metre From | Metre To | Grade | +4.75mm | -4.75 +1mm | -1 mm to + 75 um | <0.75um | |
| (XRF) | (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | |||||
| CBAC002 | 123 | 6 | 6.5 | 0.67% | 17.5 | 8.7 | 1.25 | 0.35 | |
| CBAC006 | 537 | 13.5 | 14 | 1.17% | * | 8.24 | 4.92 | 0.77 | |
| 538 | 14 | 14.5 | 3.91% | 29.7 | 29.1 | 12 | 1.27 | ||
| CBAC007 | 686 | 17 | 17.5 | 4.85% | * | 7.81 | 1.6 | 0.15 | |
| 689 | 18.5 | 19 | 1.21% | 28.5 | 15.4 | 4.75 | 0.83 | ||
| CBAC008 | 761 | 25.5 | 26 | 1.95% | 28 | 27.5 | 12.5 | 0.41 | |
| 766 | 28 | 28.5 | 0.59% | * | 12.8 | 4.77 | 0.42 | ||
| 767 | 28.5 | 29 | 1.27% | 28.4 | 13.9 | 2.69 | 0.81 | ||
| CBAC021 | 1683 | 9 | 9.5 | 2.79% | 28.4 | 27.6 | 2.42 | 0.63 | |
| CBAC022 | 1754 | 18.5 | 19 | 1.41% | 23.2 | 19.2 | 3.38 | 0.62 | |
| 1755 | 19 | 19.5 | 2.46% | 21.7 | 22.9 | 2.11 | 0.65 | ||
| 1756 | 19.5 | 20 | 0.74% | 10.8 | 15.7 | 0.38 | 0.17 | ||
| CBAC026 | 2531 | 15.5 | 16 | 0.47% | * | 20.2 | 5.21 | 0.22 | |
| 2532 | 16 | 16.5 | 3.71% | 28.1 | 25.7 | 9.85 | 0.88 | ||
| CBAC039 | 3139 | 25 | 25.5 | 2.20% | 27.4 | 28.1 | 6.98 | 0.46 | |
| 3140 | 25.5 | 26 | 0.77% | 18.7 | 12 | 1.03 | 0.51 | ||
| CBAC050 | 3605 | 14 | 14.5 | 0.53% | 13.3 | 21.7 | 1.56 | 0.37 | |
| 3606 | 14.5 | 15 | 2.52% | 29.2 | 24.4 | 2.22 | 0.86 | ||
| CBAC051 | 3659 | 15 | 15.5 | 2.70% | 26.6 | 27.6 | 3.71 | 0.62 | |
| CBAC071 | 4626 | 19.5 | 20 | 0.57% | 11.4 | 5.87 | 0.39 | 0.25 | |
| Bold Denotes Significant Upgrade | |||||||||
| * Indicates Sample Too Small Thus Nothing in Size Distribution | |||||||||
(To view an enhanced version of this table, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2712/602...larged.jpg )
(Image with caption: "Carbadia Project Drillhole Sections - Phase 1 Exploration Program - June 2013 - Figure 2 - Lithological Interpretation". To view this image, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2712/602...larged.jpg )
(Image with caption: "Carbadia Project Drillhole Sections - Phase 1 Exploration Program - June 2013 - Figure 2 - Lithological Interpretation". To view this image, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2712/602...larged.jpg )
For further information, please contact: Peter Kozicz, President & CEO Tel: 1 416 460-1159 Email: Brent Lokash, EVP & CFO Tel: 1 604 862-5190 Email:
