Armadale upbeat on Mahenge Liandu test results

(ShareCast News) - Africa-focused natural resource project investment company Armadale announce the receipt of the first phase of metallurgical test-work results from a bulk sample from a test pit on the Mahenge Liandu graphite project in Tanzania on Thursday.The AIM-traded firm said the sample produced high concentrate grades of up to 99.1% total graphitic carbon, without the use of toxic industrial chemicals.Furthermore, it said flake distribution was also reported with 61% of flake size measured in the super jumbo, jumbo and large flake categories.Armadale said the results strengthened the recently-defined maiden JORC-compliant inferred mineral resource estimate of 40.9Mt at 9.41% TGC, which included at least 32Mt at an average grade of 10.47% TGC."Having produced a graphite concentrate at 99.1% TGC via environmentally friendly, low-cost extraction processes, these metallurgical results mark a key step in proving what we believe to be the commercial viability of Mahenge Liandu," said chairman William Frewen.#"The high purity achieved from the first test work programme and outstanding flake distribution is a tremendous outcome."Frewen said the results, coupled with the large tonnage high grade resource, were highly encouraging with Armadale fully committed to an ongoing work programme to confirm the potential of the deposit."Accordingly, the board is moving ahead with marketing plans, with the emphasis on prospective European and Chinese customers initially."Within the next few months Armadale's team should be in a position to start sending prospective customers samples of graphite concentrate for independent testing."