TASMAN DRILLS THICKEST INTERVAL OF HEAVY RARE EARTH ELEMENTS AND ZIRCONIUM AT NORRA KARR, SWEDEN
VANCOUVER, April 26 /CNW/ --
Results Include 160.85m @ 0.62% TREO, with 47.9% HREO and 1.57% ZrO2
(NKA11032)
VANCOUVER, April 26 /CNW/ - Tasman Metals Ltd. ('Tasman' or the 'Company') (TSXV: TSM) (Frankfurt:
T61) (Pinksheets: TASXF). Mr Mark Saxon, President & CEO, provides assay results from the first 6
holes drilled as part of the Phase 3 program completed at the Company's
100% owned Norra Karr heavy rare earth element (REE) - zirconium (Zr)
project in Sweden during winter/spring 2011. All 6 holes intersected
REE-Zr mineralization, with a maximum mineralized width of 160.85m.
A highlight of these new results is NKA11032 which lies on infill
section EF (see Figure 1), that intersected 160.85m at 0.62 % TREO (total rare earth oxide), 1.57 % ZrO(2) (zirconium oxide), with 47.9 % of the TREO being the higher value HREO
(heavy rare earth oxide), being the thickest intersection of HREE on the project to date. Of
further note is NKA10028, which intersected the highest ZrO(2 )values discovered thus far at Norra Karr. Drill widths quoted
approximate the true width of mineralization.
The best results returned from holes 27 to 32, calculated using a lower
cut-off of 0.2% TREO are:
DRILL HOLE FROM TO LENGTH TREO HREO/TREO ZrO(2)
(metres) (%) (%) (%)
NKA11032 4.15 165.0 160.85 0.62 47.9 1.57
Including 107.8 151.7 43.9 0.71 53.9 1.81
NKA11031 1.2 76.65 75.45 0.53 48.4 1.38
Including 2.65 60.6 57.95 0.60 44.2 1.43
NKA11030 70.9 106.7 35.8 0.26 65.5 1.25
123.4 178.2 54.8 0.24 65.9 1.24
181.1 188.9 7.8 0.42 57.4 0.92
NKA10029 20.65 119.0 100.35 0.25 63.8 1.22
NKA10028 6.45 35.0 28.6 0.36 63.5 2.50
50.6 63.7 15.0 0.24 59.1 0.77
NKA10027 8.1 14.0 5.9 0.24 62.4 1.11
20.8 42.85 22.05 0.41 48.7 0.87
TREO (total rare earth oxide) = sum of La2O3, Ce2O3, Pr2O3,
Nd2O3, Sm2O3, Eu2O3, Gd2O3, Tb2O3, Dy2O3, Ho2O3, Er2O3, Tm2O3,
Yb2O3, Lu2O3, Y2O3;
HREO (heavy rare earth oxide) = sum of Eu2O3, Gd2O3, Tb2O3,
Dy2O3, Ho2O3, Er2O3, Tm2O3, Yb2O3, Lu2O3, Y2O3;
Most significant REO's by % are Y2O3, La2O3, Ce2O3, Nd2O3, Dy2O3
The Norra Karr project is characterized by containing the highest
proportion of the high value HREO of all advanced projects in the
Western World, as evaluated by industry analysts at Technology Metals
Research LLC (www.techmetalsresearch.com), with HREO as a percentage of TREO exceeding 50%. Of particular note
are the high contribution of Y(2)O(3) and Dy(2)O(3), both metals with strong demand and few potential sources outside of
China.
The twenty first hole (NKA11047) of this Phase 3 program is now
underway. The objective of this drill program is to infill sections to
100m spacing, test the depth extension of the mineralized intrusion and
obtain additional drill core for ongoing metallurgical testing.
Drilling is proceeding well with the REE mineralized intrusion having
been intersected in all drill holes. The mineralized intrusion has now
been drill tested to a maximum down-hole depth of 298.8m in drill hole
NKA11040 (assays pending), which ended in the intrusion at the limit of
the available drill rods. This hole extended the depth of intrusion
approximately 100m below the lower limit of current NI 43-101 compliant
inferred resource. Further information on the project and a recently
published NI43-101 resource report can be found on the Company's
website at http://www.tasmanmetals.com/s/Norra-Karr.asp.
For the 6 holes reported herein, NKA10027 - 30 are located south of the
current resource area, 100m south of previous drilling near the
southern margin of the Norra Karr intrusion. Holes NKA11031 and 32 lie
on 100m infill section EF, with a drill spacing of approximately 80m on
section (see Figure 1).
'The winter/spring drilling program has progressed very well at Norra
Karr, with many intersections of the host intrusion exceeding 150
metres,' said Mark Saxon, Tasman's President & CEO. 'We have been able
to work quickly and cost effectively due to the excellent
infrastructure on site, including the all year 2 wheel drive road
access. These new thick intersections provide further encouragement
that Norra Karr is a globally significant heavy rare earth element
project. Our metallurgical research is progressing in parallel with
this drilling program, and we shall shortly provide results from the
first rounds of leach testing of the Norra Karr mineralization.'
Mineralization occurs within the Norra Karr peralkaline nepheline
syenite intrusion, which covers 350m x 1100m, first discovered in 1906,
and subsequently test mined for nepheline, Zr and Hf. Better grades of
mineralization in drill holes appear associated with partially melted
or pegmatitic intervals within the intrusion. Recent mineralogical
work by SGS Mineral Services (Canada) has shown REE bearing minerals to
be zirconosilicates, principally eudialyte and catapleiite. The
project shows geological similarity to advanced projects at Kipawa Lake
(Ontario), Strange Lake (Quebec) and Dubbo (Australia).
Norra Karr is located in southern Sweden, 300km SW of the capital
Stockholm and lies in mixed farming and forestry land. The site is
well serviced by power, roads and water allowing all year round access,
plus a local skilled community. For an overview of the infrastructure
and resource at site, please see a recent 3D fly through video at http://www.tasmanmetals.com/i/videos/video1/index.html.
To view Figure 1 please visit: http://files.newswire.ca/863/norrakarrfig1.pdf
About Tasman Metals Ltd.
Tasman Metals Ltd is a Canadian mineral exploration and development
company focused on Rare Earth Elements (REE's) in the European region
and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol 'TSM'. REE
demand is increasing, due to the metals unique properties that make
them essential for high technology and environmentally-beneficial
applications. Since over 95% of REE supply is sourced from China, the
European Union is actively supporting policy to promote domestic supply
of REE's, to ensure the security of high-tech industry. Tasman's
exploration portfolio is uniquely placed, with the capacity to deliver
'high-tech' metals from politically stable, mining friendly
jurisdictions with developed infrastructure.
The Company's Norra Karr project in Sweden is one of the most
significant heavy REE resources in the world, and the only NI43-101
compliant REE resource in mainland Europe. With a TREO (total rare
earth oxide) cut off of 0.4%, the Inferred Mineral Resource comprises
60.5 million tonnes grading 0.54% TREO and 1.72% ZrO2 (zirconium
oxide), with 53.7% of the TREO being the higher value HREO (heavy rare
earth oxide). The resource is unusually low in radioactive metals
relative to peer projects, with less than 15 ppm each of uranium and
thorium.
For more information regarding rare earth elements, see the Rare Metal
Blog at www.raremetalblog.com or Resource Stock Digest at http://strategicmetalstocks.resourcestockdigest.com/.
On behalf of the Board,
'Mark Saxon'
Mark Saxon, President & CEO
Samples submitted by Tasman Metals Ltd were analyzed by the ME-MS81
technique by ALS Chemex Ltd's laboratories in Pitea, Sweden and
Vancouver, Canada, where duplicates, repeats, blanks and known
standards were inserted according to standard industry practice. Where
over-range for ME-MS81, Zr was determined using the ME-XRF10
technique. The qualified person for the Company's exploration
projects, Mark Saxon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tasman
and a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and
Australian Institute of Geoscientists, has reviewed and verified the
contents of this release.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider
(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange),
nor the Frankfurt Stock Exchange accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward Looking Statements. This Company news release contains certain 'forward-looking' statements
and information relating to the Company that are based on the beliefs
of the Company's management as well as assumptions made by and
information currently available to the Company's management. Such
statements reflect the current risks, uncertainties and assumptions
related to certain factors including, without limitations, competitive
factors, general economic conditions, customer relations, relationships
with vendors and strategic partners, the interest rate environment,
governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological
change, changes in industry practices, and one-time events. Should any
one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any
underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary
materially from those described herein.
To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2011/26/c6731.html
Investor Information
www.tasmanmetals.com
1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7
Company Contact: Mariana Bermudez 1 (604) 685 9316
Investor Relation Consultants - Mining Interactive
Nick Nicolaas 1 (604) 657 4058
Email: info@tasmanmetals.com