30 Apr 2012 07:00
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30 April 2012
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ZincOxΒ ResourcesΒ plcΒ
("ZincOx" orΒ the "Company")
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Initial Production TestΒ atΒ KoreanΒ RecyclingΒ Plant
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Key Highlights
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Β·; First production of zinc oxide concentrate
Β·; Process demonstrated
Β·; Zinc recovery in the range 87%-96%
Β·; Zinc oxide concentrate has zinc grade in the range 55%-63%
Β·; Iron metallisation in the range of 75%-88%
Β·; Plant optimization will improve results
Β·; Start Up Permit obtained
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ZincOxΒ ResourcesΒ plcΒ (AIM:Β ZOX)Β isΒ pleasedΒ toΒ announceΒ theΒ initialΒ operationΒ ofΒ itsΒ whollyΒ ownedKoreanΒ RecyclingΒ Plant.
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During the initial production test the plant ramped up to 50% of capacity and produced zinc concentrate and Direct Reduced Iron ("DRI"). The operation of the final piece of equipment, the hot briquetting machine, will occur during the next test run. While operating,Β theΒ plantΒ was inspectedΒ byΒ officialsΒ fromΒ theΒ KoreanΒ MinistryΒ forΒ theΒ EnvironmentΒ andΒ theΒ StartΒ UpΒ PermitΒ wasissuedΒ earlierΒ today. Under Korean regulations, until this permit is issued only limited quantities of Electric Arc Furnace Dust ("EAFD") are allowed to be delivered to the plant site and as a consequence only a limited period of testing has been possible. The issuance of theΒ permit will enableΒ the CompanyΒ toΒ start accepting regularΒ deliveriesΒ ofΒ EAFDΒ toΒ theΒ site.
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WhileΒ theΒ processΒ hasΒ yetΒ toΒ beΒ optimizedΒ forΒ fullΒ scaleΒ production,Β theΒ initialΒ resultsΒ areΒ veryΒ promising.TheΒ testsΒ demonstrated zinc recovery in the range 87%-96% and that good quality zincΒ oxideΒ concentrateΒ couldΒ beΒ recovered having a grade of between 55% and 63% zincΒ at or above theΒ targetΒ levelΒ (58%)Β expectedΒ forΒ theΒ operationΒ andΒ withΒ lessΒ thanΒ 0.2%Β ironΒ indicatingΒ aΒ lowΒ carryoverΒ ofΒ untreatedΒ EAFD.Β The metallic iron content of the DRI has typically been in the range of 75-88%, with our target for the operation being 85%. FurtherΒ improvementsΒ in zinc concentrate quality and iron metallisationΒ areΒ expectedΒ asΒ theΒ plant'sΒ operatingΒ conditionsΒ areΒ optimized.
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The plant operated in line with expectations with good briquette strength and efficient evacuation of DRI from the furnace. Heat and zinc product recovery and other aspects of the gas handling system also worked as foreseen.
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AsΒ foreseen,Β inΒ theΒ developmentΒ plan, and due to the limited availability of EAFD theΒ RotaryΒ HearthΒ FurnaceΒ andΒ gasΒ handlingΒ systemΒ isΒ beingΒ cooled,Β toΒ allowΒ aΒ fullΒ inspection of the hearth, for modifications to the control system and equipment modifications,Β butΒ productionΒ is expected toΒ resumeΒ nextΒ week.
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CommentingΒ onΒ theΒ announcement,Β AndrewΒ Woollett,Β ZincOx'sΒ Chairman,Β said "WeΒ areΒ delightedΒ withΒ theΒ resultsΒ fromΒ thisΒ firstΒ operation which prove that the process works in line withΒ ourΒ expectations. WeΒ areΒ lookingΒ forwardΒ toΒ optimizingΒ theΒ operatingΒ conditionsΒ andΒ rampingΒ upΒ toΒ fullΒ productionΒ overtheΒ nextΒ fewΒ monthsΒ andΒ atΒ theΒ sameΒ timeΒ preparingΒ toΒ pressΒ aheadΒ withΒ ourΒ expansionΒ plansΒ bothΒ inKoreaΒ andΒ elsewhere".
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For further information please contact:
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ZincOx Resources plc | Tel: +44 (0)1276 450 100 |
Andrew Woollett, Executive Chairman | |
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Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker) | Tel: +44 (0)20 7418 8900 |
Richard Kauffer Daniel Harris Β | |
finnCap Limited (Joint Broker) Matthew Robinson Joanna Weaving Β Β | Tel: +44 (0)20 7220 0500 |
Tavistock Communications | Tel: +44 (0)20 7920 3150 |
Lydia Eades Simon Hudson Paul Youens |
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