DGAP-News: Champion Iron Mines Limited: Environmental Baseline Study at Fire Lake North Project
(firmenpresse) - DGAP-News: Champion Iron Mines Limited / Key word(s): Study
Champion Iron Mines Limited: Environmental Baseline Study at Fire Lake
North Project
21.11.2012 / 14:15
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NEWS RELEASE
Environmental Baseline Study at Champion Iron Mines' Consolidated Fire Lake
North Project concludes that proposed mining operations will not impact
water quality
Toronto (Canada), November 21, 2012 - CHAMPION IRON MINES LIMITED (TSX:
CHM; OTCQX:CPMNF; FSE: P02) ('Champion' or the 'Company') is pleased to
announce the results of an Environmental Baseline Study completed by Roche
Ltd. (Montréal, QC) at its Consolidated Fire Lake North flagship project
near Fermont, Québec. Results confirm that the West Pit and East Pit Run of
Mine ore and waste rocks are not acid generating in nature, nor do they
represent a risk during mining operation with respect to heavy metals
release.
These excellent results from the environmental characterization of the ore
and waste rocks were obtained as part of an overall metallurgical testing
program completed at the SGS Laboratories (Lakefield, ON) for the
Feasibility Study in-progress. The results will benefit both capital and
operating costs since no geo-membranes will be required beneath the waste
dumps nor will any treatment of waste dump run-off water be needed. An
additional benefit will be realized from the use of waste rock for
construction of mine roads and associated mine and concentrator
infrastructure. Therefore, no specific quarry will be required to generate
the construction aggregates.
Representative samples of tailings were also subjected to trace metal
analysis using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy /
Mass Spectrometry and the corresponding liquid fractions (decant solutions)
were also characterized extensively.
Acid Rock Drainage ('ARD') static tests and Metal Leaching static tests
were conducted on representative samples of waste rock, ore, tailings, and
concentrate. The ARD testing consisted of Acid / Base Accounting and Net
Acid Generation testing. Several, generally accepted, leaching procedures
were performed, including the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure
(EPA Method 1311), the Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (EPA
Method 1312), and the Distilled Water Leach Extraction (Quebec CTEU-9).
Waste Rock Results:
Static tests performed on representative samples indicate no real potential
to generate ARD, which is consistent with the very low sulphide content
coupled with the presence of alkaline-type minerals that compose these
rocks.
Based upon the Province of Québec's Ministère du Développement durable, de
l'Environnement, de la Faune et des Parcs (MDDEFP)'s Directive 019 mine
waste classification, the waste from the West Pit was leachable for barium.
However, barium concentrations in the leachates were very low during the
more representative kinetic tests (longer term humidity cells), which were
carried out on composite samples from each of the West Pit and East Pit
deposits.
Kinetic tests also confirmed that the waste carried no real potential to
generate ARD as demonstrated by the resulting slightly alkaline pH (±8.0)
of the leachates and the very low sulfate concentrations. All metals
(including Al, As, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Hg, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Ti,
V and Zn) showed very low concentrations in the leachates collected.
Based upon these results, waste rock can be used for construction (roads,
dykes, etc.) and no special groundwater protection measures (e.g.
geo-membrane) will be required at waste dump locations. Only suspended
sediments could potentially be present in the water percolating through the
waste dumps and a sedimentation pond will be sufficient for an effluent
quality control.
Ore and Concentrate Results:
Ore sent to the pilot plant was separated by gravity separation and divided
into concentrate and tailings. Both resulting products showed similar metal
content with the exception of iron, which was obviously naturally more
abundant in the concentrate. The ore and the concentrate carry no potential
to generate ARD, nor did they release heavy metals through any of the
leaching procedures.
These products can therefore be stockpiled without special groundwater
protection measures (e.g. geo-membrane). Only suspended sediments could
potentially be present in the water percolating through either the ore or
concentrate stockpiles and again, sedimentation ponds would be sufficient
for a control of the effluent quality.
Tailings Results:
Tailings samples were also generated from the SGS-Lakefield Pilot Plant
test and showed that the tailings carry no real potential to generate ARD,
nor do they release metals into solution. The liquid fraction of the
tailings was slightly alkaline (±8.0) which is good, and showed low
concentrations for all analysed parameters.
On this basis, no special groundwater protection measures (e.g.
geo-membrane) will be required at the tailings impoundment area. Moreover,
no waste water treatment will be necessary to control dissolved metals. A
sedimentation pond will be sufficient to control the water effluent
quality.
Further to this, Champion is presently investigating possible methods for
transferring partially dewatered tailings to the impoundment area to
minimize the back-and-forth water transfer between the concentrator and
tailings pond.
Thomas Larsen, Champion's President and CEO, remarked, 'We are pleased to
report results from the Environmental Baseline Study. It clearly
demonstrates that mining operations can be conducted at Fire Lake North
without negatively impacting the surrounding water bodies and that
appropriate steps are being taken at this study level to minimize the
impact of future mining activities as to protect the local environment.'
Selected results from each test described above can be found on our website
(www.championironmines.com).
About Champion Iron Mines Limited
Champion is an iron exploration and development company with offices in
Montréal and Toronto, and is focused on developing its significant iron
resources in the provinces of Québec and Newfoundland&Labrador. Champion
holds a 100% interest in the Fermont Iron Holdings and a 44% interest in
the Attikamagen Iron Project located in both Québec and Labrador. The
Attikamagen Project is under option to Labec Century Iron Ore Inc.
('Labec'), a subsidiary of Century Iron Mines Corporation, under which
Labec can earn up to a 60% interest.
Champion's Fermont Iron Holdings, including its flagship Consolidated Fire
Lake North Project, are located in Canada's major iron ore producing
district, in close proximity to five producing iron mines. Consolidated
Fire Lake North is located immediately adjacent to and north of
ArcelorMittal's operating Fire Lake Mine and 60 km south of Cliffs Natural
Resources Inc.'s Bloom Lake Mine in northeastern Québec. Champion's team
and advisory board includes mining and exploration professionals with the
mine operations experience to build, commission, and operate the future
Consolidated Fire Lake North mine.
The technical information in this news release was prepared, revised and
approved by Yves Thomassin, Director of Mining Projects-Environment from
Roche and Mr. Jean-Luc Chouinard P. Eng. M. Sc., VP Project Development for
Champion Iron Mines. Mr. Chouinard is a Qualified Person under NI 43-101
standards.
For further information please contact:
Thomas G. Larsen, President and CEO, or Jorge Estepa, Vice President at
Tel: (416) 866-2200.
For additional information on Champion, please visit our website at
www.championironmines.com.
This news release includes certain information that may constitute
'forward-looking information' under applicable Canadian securities
legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to,
statements about planned operations at the Company's projects, including
its Fire Lake North Project. Forward-looking information is necessarily
based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered
reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and
other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
information, including the risks identified in Champion's annual
information forms, management discussion and analysis and other securities
regulatory filings by Champion on SEDAR (including under the heading 'Risk
Factors' therein). There can be no assurance that such information will
prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.
Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
information. All forward-looking information contained in this press
release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and
estimates of Champion's management and information available to management
as at the date hereof. Champion disclaims any intention or obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
This press release has been prepared by Champion Iron Mines Limited and no
regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained
herein.
End of Corporate News
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