April 11, 2005 - Toronto, Ontario – Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation (TSX-V: BIM) (“Baffinland” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the results of additional metallurgical testwork completed on drill core composites from its 2004 advanced exploration program. Approximately 2.8 tonnes of drill core in 20 composite samples from Deposit No. 1 were sent to Studien Gesellschaft für Eisenerz- Aufbereitung (SGA) in Germany for metallurgical testwork essential for evaluation of potential iron ore sale products to the steel industry. Baffinland is pleased to report that the results of this testwork further confirm managements’ expectations of the potential for the Mary River Deposits to support a high grade, direct-shipping iron ore operation with a high percentage of potential output in the form of a premium lump ore. Michael Zurowski, President of Baffinland stated that, “These new metallurgical results on drill core taken at depth in Deposit No. 1 are comparable to and supportive of the results of the metallurgical testwork that was performed in the 1960’s and 1970’s on drill core and other samples from the near surface portion of Deposit No. 1.”
A conference call will be held at 11:00 a.m. (Toronto time) today, April 11, 2005 to discuss these results and future plans for the delineation and evaluation of Baffinland’s Mary River iron ore deposits. This conference call will be hosted by Gordon McCreary, Chairman and CEO of Baffinland, and Michael Zurowski, President, and will include the participation Dr. Volker Ritz, Managing Director of SGA. To participate in the question and answer portion of the conference call please call 416-640-1907 prior to the commencement of the call, or for listen only, the call can be accessed over the internet in real time at www.baffinland.com. The conference call will subsequently be available for replay at 416 640-1917 and enter 21121054#, until April 18, 2005 and also will be archived for replay at www.baffinland.com.
Results for the 20 samples are as follows (and include the 9 sample results released on March 7th):
|
Composite Sample # |
Reduction Test (ISO 7215) RI% |
Fe % |
Magnetite % |
SiO2 % |
Al2O3 % |
P % |
S % |
Porosity % |
Drill Hole # |
|
1 |
35.7 |
68.41 |
31 |
0.83 |
0.91 |
0.035 |
0.027 |
1.5 |
41 |
|
2 |
54.3 |
69.22 |
18 |
0.69 |
0.44 |
0.012 |
<0.005 |
21.4 |
37 |
|
3 |
38.6 |
65.7 |
34 |
5.55 |
0.44 |
0.043 |
0.018 |
15.3 |
37 |
|
4 |
29.7 |
68.67 |
72 |
1.98 |
0.47 |
0.005 |
0.145 |
3.9 |
37 |
|
5 |
34.5 |
64.58 |
45 |
7.04 |
0.64 |
0.01 |
0.17 |
11.4 |
37 |
|
6 |
36.6 |
69.54 |
43 |
0.77 |
0.31 |
0.31 |
0.1 |
6.5 |
37 |
|
7 |
42.4 |
68.74 |
12 |
0.33 |
0.33 |
0.017 |
0.077 |
4 |
37 |
|
8 |
39.9 |
69.24 |
85 |
0.59 |
0.47 |
0.005 |
0.57 |
6.6 |
37 |
|
9 |
29.4 |
64.82 |
58 |
7.49 |
0.39 |
0.017 |
0.042 |
5.4 |
39 |
|
10 |
33.4 |
64.01 |
49 |
6.96 |
0.75 |
0.03 |
0.28 |
13 |
39 |
|
11 |
40.8 |
69.63 |
31 |
0.19 |
0 |
0.008 |
0.16 |
3.4 |
39 |
|
12 |
42.2 |
67.84 |
71 |
0.86 |
0.64 |
0.007 |
0.86 |
5.3 |
39 |
|
13 |
53.6 |
66.55 |
17 |
2.16 |
0.82 |
0.107 |
<0.005 |
20 |
44 |
|
14 |
56.2 |
65.66 |
4 |
1.89 |
0.68 |
0.117 |
0.006 |
21 |
44 |
|
15 |
49.9 |
62.43 |
8 |
4.75 |
1.29 |
0.097 |
0.005 |
15.7 |
44 |
|
16 |
48.1 |
65.7 |
75 |
0.43 |
0 |
0.012 |
0.26 |
10.6 |
34 |
|
17 |
46.3 |
62.14 |
88 |
2.46 |
1.45 |
0.039 |
0.45 |
5.2 |
34 |
|
18 |
12.6 |
67.54 |
91 |
2.38 |
1.05 |
0.173 |
0.067 |
1 |
38 |
|
19 |
10.8 |
69.1 |
93 |
9.1 |
0.51 |
0.175 |
0.04 |
0.8 |
38 |
|
20 |
52.1 |
68.75 |
16 |
0.92 |
51 |
0.015 |
< 0.005 |
13.1 |
39 |
Michael Zurowski, President of Baffinland, stated that, “The results are very encouraging with most of the 20 composite samples showing acceptable to excellent reducibility for a potential lump iron ore.” Very positive results for reducibility were determined for three of the five samples that contained high levels of magnetite (samples #8, #16 and #17). These samples have a high lump potential despite the high magnetite content. Samples #18 and #19 were more than 90% magnetite and had very low porosity of 1% or less and consequently exhibited low reducibility. This type of material with its high magnetite and low reducibility remains an excellent source of fines for sintering. Future testwork at SGA will involve sintering tests to confirm this expectation. It is important to note that for the 1972 feasibility study of the Mary River deposits, sintering tests were conducted on a 1000 pound sample by Stirling Sintering Company of Pittsburgh. The results of these sintering tests caused Mr. H. T. Stirling to be quoted in the feasibility study as saying, “the ore produced the best sinter we have ever made in our laboratory.”
Acceptable reducibility is an essential component for the determination of lump iron ore, which is a sized direct charge to the blast furnace and commands a premium price to that of sinter feed. The testwork completed is specific for suitability of the sample material as lump ore. The initial twenty samples have established the general characteristics of the deposit and will determine which specific tests are required to determine consistency and predictability of any potential sale product. Although further testing is required, Baffinland is very encouraged by the results and believes that they confirm the high quality lump potential of the deposit.
The average phosphorous content of the 20 composite samples was approximately 0.047% P and compares favourably with the average content of the drill intercepts released previously of 0.052% P. This is somewhat higher than the phosphorus content calculated historically in the 1960’s, but still within the limits of a high quality lump ore product. Interestingly, if we remove the two composite samples that came from drill hole number 38, located at the northern extremity of the perceived open pit for Deposit No. 1, the average phosphorous content declines to 0.033% P. This is comparable to the average phosphorous content from the indicated resource based on the 1960’s drilling in the central portion of Deposit No. 1. An indicated resource at Deposit No. 1 contains approximately 116.7 million tonnes grading 68.3% Fe, 0.8% SiO2, 0.03% S and 0.03% P. In addition, a separate high sulphur resource contains 26.9 million tonnes grading 62.8% Fe, 3.8% SiO2, 0.43% S and 0.03% P. The 2004 drill results are not included in this historical estimate. However, the 2004 program has more than doubled the drill-indicated strike length of Deposit No. 1 to over 2.5 kilometres and confirmed the depth extent to more than 400 metres below the ridge of the deposit. Further, the discovery of the new Upper Zone parallel to the southeast limb has significantly increased the average width.
Gordon McCreary, Chairman and CEO of Baffinland said, “The elimination of the need for a beneficiation plant and tailings pond for the direct-shipping iron ore operation envisioned by Baffinland has significant economic and environmental advantages but the lack of a processing facility does have a disadvantage. Since the operation will not have a processing plant to alter the chemical composition of the output, Baffinland must prove through detailed sampling and metallurgical testwork that the ore is directly compatible with the blast furnaces of Europe. Consequently we are very pleased that these metallurgical test results are supportive of the Company’s view that Deposit No. 1 has the potential to become a significant lump iron ore producer.” As stated in previous Baffinland press releases, the objective of the 2004 and 2005 programs is to delineate a substantial resource to support a direct-shipping iron ore operation focused on European markets with a production rate of approximately 10 million tonnes per year. Justification for such an operation would require an approximate doubling of the tonnage of the resources delineated in the 1960’s at a comparable grade and with comparable metallurgical attributes. Mr. McCreary went on to state that, “We are currently gearing up for a three drill program in 2005, that management expects will result in Baffinland more than meeting this objective when resources are recalculated after the 2005 program results are available.”
The testwork includes physical (tumble strength, abrasiveness, size distribution, etc.) and metallurgical (analysis, reduction under load, softening, dripping and melting in the REAS test, decrepitation, etc.) testwork. All of these results have been received by Baffinland for the 20 composite samples with the exception of the REAS tests that are still in process and are not expected to be available until May 2005 since only two REAS tests can be performed by SGA per week. None of the physical and other metallurgical tests yielded negative results worthy of mention with the except that two of the tumble tests, composite sample #2 and # 13, yielded low results in the tumble test while all 18 remaining samples performed very well in the tumble tests. These two samples had higher than average porosity and moisture content, which may contribute to the lower than expected tumble strengths. A particular attribute of Mary River iron ores worthy of note is the low moisture content that averaged approximately 2% for the 20 composite samples. Upon completion of the remaining REAS tests, an additional 50 to 60 samples will be submitted for continued metallurgical testing. The metallurgical results from these initial 20 composite samples will determine specific parameters for the additional metallurgical testing, however, the samples will be based upon an anticipated mine plan rather than strictly mineralogy of hematite/magnetite content.
Testwork continues at SGA under the direct supervision of Dr. Volker Ritz, Managing Director of the facility, who has approved the contents of this press release specifically relating to the metallurgical testwork. SGA has 83-years experience as a research centre for iron ore beneficiation, agglomeration and metallurgical testing of burden materials and mineral processing of raw materials for the Iron and Steel Industry and is owned by six European steel mills. Dr. Ritz stated that, “The comprehensive metallurgical testwork performed to date by SGA on the Baffinland composite samples has yielded some of the best lump ore test results that we have seen in a new potential producer and bodes very well regarding the high quality lump ore potential of Baffinland’s Mary River Project”.
The press release has been prepared under the supervision of Michael T. Zurowski, P. Eng., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The reserve figure quoted in the text of this press release is a historical resource estimate, by Watts Griffis and McOuat Limited in the 1960’s, containing approximately 116.7 million tonnes grading 68.3% Fe, 0.8% SiO2, 0.03% S and 0.03% P. Management believes that the historical estimate is relevant and conforms to an indicated resource under NI 43-101.
Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, including risks relating to the exploration and development of the Company’s iron ore deposits. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company’s filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.
THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE INC. HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.
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