Bluejay Mining plc / EPIC: JAY / Market: AIM / Sector: Mining
14 November 2017
Bluejay Mining plc ('Bluejay' or the 'Company')
Permitting Update: Dundas Ilmenite Project Receives Strong Support
Bluejay Mining plc, the AIM and FSE listed company with projects in Greenland and Finland, is pleased to provide an update on permitting developments for the Dundas Ilmenite Project in Greenland ('Dundas').
Overview
· Successfully finalised the "Terms of Reference" for both the Environmental Impact Assessment ('EIA') and Social Impact Assessment ('SIA')
· Completed a White Paper, which encompasses the stakeholder consultation response period
· All documents accepted and approved by the Greenland Government and the relevant licencing bodies
· Received a high degree of support from all stakeholders - highlighted during the process of public consultation and engagement
· EIA and SIA now earmarked for completion in Q1 2018 ahead of commencing production later that year
· Permitting developments can be seen on the Greenlandic Government portal: http://naalakkersuisut.gl/en/Hearings/Hearing-Archive/2017/Forhoering-for-kommissorier-for-VSB-og-VVM-for-Titaniumprojektet-ved-Pituffik
Bluejay CEO Roderick McIllree said, "Continued progression through the permitting system marks another key achievement for our Dundas Ilmenite Project as we continue to execute on our defined development strategy to build a robust and long life mineral project. With strong stakeholder and Government support received to date, we can now advance into the final stages of project permitting, which together with ongoing feasibility studies, will culminate in an application for exploitation early next year. We look forward to keeping shareholders updated with our progress."
Further Information
In the first half of 2017 Bluejay, alongside Orbicon Arctic A/S and NIRAS Greenland A/S, conducted workshops with all stakeholders for Dundas to provide an inclusive summary of the project plans. Stakeholder feedback was then incorporated into the "Terms of Reference" for the EIA and SIA.
The guidelines for the EIA and SIA are determined by the Greenland Mineral Licence and Safety Authority ('MLSA'). Working in conjunction with the MLSA, the Environmental Agency for Mineral Resource Activities ('EAMRA'), is the responsible authority concerning assessments and considerations of all environmental aspects referring to mineral activities. Following a review process by both the MLSA and EAMRA, the "Terms of Reference" for both the EIA and SIA on Dundas were approved.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit http://www.titanium.gl or contact:
Roderick McIllree |
Bluejay Mining plc |
+44 (0) 20 7907 9326 |
Ewan Leggat |
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP |
+44 (0) 20 3470 0470 |
Soltan Tagiev |
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP |
+44 (0) 20 3470 0470 |
Charlotte Page |
St Brides Partners Ltd |
+44 (0) 20 7236 1177 |
Megan Dennison |
St Brides Partners Ltd |
+44 (0) 20 7236 1177 |
Notes
Bluejay has a number of highly prospective licences at various stages of development in Greenland and Finland. The Company is dual listed on the London AIM market and Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
The Company is currently focussed on advancing the Dundas Ilmenite Project in Greenland, an area that has only recently revealed its mineral potential following changes in the climate. Dundas, which with an initial Inferred JORC resource of 23.6Mt at 8.8% ilmenite (in situ), including a high-grade zone equal to 7.9Mt at 14.2% ilmenite, and significant further upside, has been proven to be the highest-grade mineral sand ilmenite project globally.
Dundas comprises three main target areas along an >40km coastline historically proven to contain large and high-grade accumulations of primary ilmenite occurring as placer deposits in the following environments:
· Raised beaches; containing ilmenite accumulations over widths of more than 1km, of unknown depths, along more than 30km of coastline;
· Active beaches; which refer to the area seaward of the frontal dunes, including the beach, tidal zones and surf zone; and
· Drowned beaches; refers to the areas seaward of active beaches.
The Company's strategy is focused on the production of a bulk sample "proof of concept" from the Dundas Ilmenite Project in 2017 with the aim of ultimately generating cash flow to create a company capable of self-funding exploration on current projects and future acquisitions.
Bluejay also holds a 100% interest in a portfolio of copper, zinc and nickel projects in Finland. This multi-commodity portfolio remains a strategic asset of importance and has been restructured to be cost-sustainable whilst determining the best plan for future development.
Dundas Mineral Resource Estimate
The Dundas mineral resource estimate has been prepared by SRK Exploration Services ('SRK') and is broken down into three components:
· An Inferred resource of 23.6Mt at 8.8% ilmenite (in situ) for the total area tested
· This includes a high-grade zone equal to 7.9Mt at 14.2% ilmenite (in situ) at Moriusaq which is the focus of the feasibility and production studies that are currently underway
· A larger exploration target for the area, primarily encompassing potential mineralisation below and inland from the current drilling, of between 90Mt to 130Mt at an in-situ grade of between 6.3% and 8.4% ilmenite
SRK has produced a Mineral Resource Estimate for the Dundas onshore raised beaches target that forms part of Bluejay's exploration licence in Northwest Greenland (licence number 2015/08). This is the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate produced for the licence. The Mineral Resource Estimate report prepared by SRK will be made available during Q2 2017.
The Mineral Resource Estimate is based on all valid data available as at 1 March 2017. A volume of the raised beaches has been modelled which encompasses the drilled portion of these areas with a maximum depth limit set at 3 metres below ground level. The model covers a surface area of approximately 5km by up to 0.9km. The model was incorporated into a three-dimensional block model and the in situ titanium dioxide ('TiO2') grade and percent recoverable heavy mineral content were interpolated using an inverse distance weighted ('IDW') algorithm.
SRK considers that all the delineated mineralisation has reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction and the Mineral Resource Statement has been reported at a 0% cut-off grade using the terminology and guidelines set out in the JORC 2012 Code.
Table 1: JORC Mineral Resource Statement for Dundas Onshore Target, April 2017
Classification |
Volume (M.m3) |
Tonnage (M.t) |
Density (t/m3) |
% THM |
% >2mm |
% >5mm |
% <63µm |
% TiO2 In HM |
% TiO2 In-situ |
% Ilmenite In-situ |
Inferred |
11.2 |
23.6 |
2.12 |
34.5 |
29.0 |
21.8 |
2.5 |
12.0 |
4.2 |
8.8 |
(1) The effective date of the Mineral Resource is April 6th, 2017
(2) The numbers are presented at a 0% cut-off grade
(3) "THM" and "HM" mean Total Heavy Minerals and Heavy Minerals respectively
(4) HM have been separated from a -2 mm +63 µm size fraction using heavy liquid separation at a density of 2.95 g/cm3
(5) Preliminary mineralogical assessments suggest that the HM typically comprises 26.76% ilmenite and that there are no other valuable HM present. Additional mineralogical data is expected during April 2017
(6) % TiO2 in-situ assumes that all recoverable TiO2 is in the HM component of the -2 mm +63 µm size fraction
(7) % Ilmenite In-situ assumes that all TiO2 is within ilmenite and that the ilmenite contains 47.65% TiO2, based on historical exploration data
SRK has also produced a Mineral Resource Statement has been reported at a 5% in-situ TiO2 cut-off grade using the terminology and guidelines set out in the JORC 2012 Code.
Table 2: JORC Mineral Resource Statement for Dundas Onshore Target, April 2017. 5% in-situ TiO2 cut-off grade applied.
Classification |
Volume (M.m3) |
Tonnage (M.t) |
Density (t/m3) |
% THM |
% >2mm |
% >5mm |
% <63µm |
% TiO2 In HM |
% TiO2 In-situ |
% Ilmenite In-situ |
Inferred |
3.7 |
7.9 |
2.12 |
44.3 |
22.2 |
16.7 |
2.1 |
15.3 |
6.8 |
14.2 |
(1) The effective date of the Mineral Resource is April 6th, 2017
(2) The numbers are presented at a 5.0% in-situ TiO2 cut-off grade
(3) "THM" and "HM" mean Total Heavy Minerals and Heavy Minerals respectively
(4) HM have been separated from a -2 mm +63 µm size fraction using heavy liquid separation at a density of 2.95 g/cm3
(5) Preliminary mineralogical assessments suggest that the HM typically comprises 26.76% ilmenite and that there are no other valuable HM present. Additional mineralogical data is expected during April 2017
(6) % TiO2 in-situ assumes that all recoverable TiO2 is in the HM component of the -2 mm +63 µm size fraction
(7) % Ilmenite In-situ assumes that all TiO2 is within ilmenite and that the ilmenite contains 47.65% TiO2, based on historical exploration data
SRK is of the opinion that there is a high probability that a proportion of this currently reported Inferred Mineral Resource can be upgraded to the Indicated category following additional exploration. Further, SRK considers that there is a high probability that the raised beaches hosting this Mineral Resource extend both at depth and laterally along the shoreline within Bluejay's licence area. The licence area includes a 30 km length of raised beaches and deltas and Bluejay has demonstrated mineralisation in several places in addition to the area covered by the Mineral Resource presented here.
In addition to the Mineral Resource Statement, SRK has derived an Exploration Target which is planned to be tested by the Company in the next field season. The Exploration Target tonnage range reflects SRK's opinion that the mineralization has potential to be continuous between 9m and 12m below surface (SRK's Mineral Resource estimate has been restricted to 3m) which is based on a limited amount of outcrop exposure. In summary, it comprises potential mineralisation below the depth currently drilled. The exploration grade range is based on the grade of the overlying Mineral Resource.
SRK's Exploration Target is between 90Mt and 130Mt with an in-situ TiO2 grade of between 3% and 4% (assumed to be between 6.3% and 8.4% ilmenite) and a heavy mineral content of between 30% and 34% of which between 10% and 12% will comprise TiO2 (assumed to be between 21% and 25% ilmenite). It should be noted that this is an estimated range of tonnes and grade and is conceptual in nature, that there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and that it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.
Qualified Persons
The information in this press release that relates to Mineral Resources is based on information compiled under the direction of Dr Mike Armitage C Geol., C Eng., who is a Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining which is a Recognised Overseas Professional Organisation ('ROPO') included in a list promulgated by JORC from time to time.
Dr Armitage is a full-time employee of SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves' (the JORC Code) and for the purposes of the AIM Rules. Dr Armitage has reviewed this press release and consents to the inclusion in the press release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which this appears.
