Baobab Resources (AIM:BAO), the Mozambique focused mineral exploration and development company, announced positive ore benefication test results from vanadiferous titano-magnetite ore from the Massamba Group prospects within its Tete project.
The Tete Project covers 632 square kilometres, and includes five known Iron Ore-Vanadium-Titanium deposits; one prospect, named Singore is approximately 30 kilometres north of Tete, the provincial capital, while the remaining cluster of prospects are collectively known as the Massamba Group and are located approximately 55 kilometres north-northwest of Tete. Two coal mines are currently under development near Tete, and a rail link connecting Tete to the port of Biera is currently being refurbished.
Baobab commissioned a metallurgical testwork programme on ore from Massamba Group after rock chip sampling returned average grades of 49% Iron, 21% Titanium and 0.3% Vanadium. The test work was designed to assess the economics of producing an iron-vanadium concentrate for sale or upgrade on site.
The results were encouraging. Stage 1 beneficiation test work using a 106 µm grind and 800 Gauss low intensity magnetic separation produced a concentrate assaying 56% iron and 0.7% Vanadium Pentoxide.
Baobab also noted that the non-magnetic residue containing 22% titanium may be a saleable by-product. Overall, the concentrate had low grades of titanium, silica and other deleterious elements. Stage 2 beneficiation test work is underway to further examine the potential to improve the concentrate grades. Drilling is also planned to test the extent of the mineralisation.
Brett Townsend, the Company's acting Managing Director, commented:
'The ore benefication results are very exciting. A strike length in excess of 8 kms of magnetite bodies has been interpreted from geophysical anomalies in the Massamba group. A drilling program is now warranted to define the titano-magnetite resources of the Massamba area which has the potential to host very large tonnages of ore amenable to producing a saleable iron concentrate.'