MANTLE Mining says the results of early exploration drilling on its Bacchus Marsh brown coal project have exceeded expectations.
The project is estimated to have an exploration target of 1-2 billion tonnes of brown coal.
The West Australian-based company last week reported to the Australian Stock Exchange that the first four holes of a 15 hole drill program have been completed.
More than 50 metres of coal thickness was found in two of the holes.
The total cumulative coal thickness of 146 metres found in the first four holes was also a 25 per cent increase on the 116 metres initially expected.
Mantle Mining’s shares surged more than 20 per cent today on the news.
Mantle Mining says it has executed preliminary agreements with Exergen Pty Ltd to develop the Bacchus Marsh project.
Exergen has developed a clean coal technology that when teamed with modern coal-fired power station technology is expected to deliver up to 40 per cent CO2 emissions reductions.
The technology, patented worldwide, is known as Continuous Hydrothermal Dewatering or CHTD.
Agreements executed to date include a 50/50 joint venture for exploration and mine development, construction of a 50 tonne per hour demonstration facility and subsequent export project by Exergen, and Mantle Mining being licensed to utilise CHTD on its half share of the coal deposit,
A two-tonne bulk sample of Bacchus Marsh coal was processed at the CHTD pilot plant.
Laboratory analysis of the trial product confirmed that transformation of the coal had successfully occurred.
Secondary dewatering and pressing of a representative sample of low moisture briquettes was also achieved at the pilot plant.
Exergen’s major investors include TATA Power, India’s largest private power utility; Leighton subsidiary Thiess, the world’s largest supplier of outsourced mining services; Itochu, Japan’s third largest trading house; and Sedgman, a global specialist provider of mineral engineering solutions.
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