Inferred Resource at Jadar li

RNS Number : 3633M

Rio Tinto PLC

28 January 2009

 



Inferred Resource at Jadar lithium project (Serbia)

28 January 2009

Rio Tinto is pleased to announce the results of the Order of Magnitude study for the Jadar lithium borate deposit in Serbia.

Following the previously announced Exploration Target for the Lower Jadarite Zone within the Jadar deposit, Rio Tinto has completed an Order of Magnitude Study which has identified an Inferred Resource. 

Classification	Million tonnes	%Li2O	%B2O3
Inferred Resource	114.6	1.8	13.1

Location and Title

The Jadar lithium project is approximately 100 kilometres west of Belgrade and is wholly owned and operated by Rio Tinto through Rio Sava Exploration d.o.o. 

The project area has excellent infrastructure with road, rail and river transport options available. All utilities are immediately accessible (electricity, gas, telecommunications).

Summary of Exploration Results

The Jadar deposit was identified in 2004 while drilling Miocene lake sediments in the search for sodium borates. Thirty eight diamond holes have been drilled at Jadar.  

 The deposit comprises an upper Colemanite Zone overlying the Upper, Middle and Lower Jadarite Zones. The main economic mineral is jadarite with subordinate colemanite and ulexite/probertite. Jadarite, LiNaB3SiO7(OH), a mineral species first identified at Jadar, contains 7.3%Li2O and 47.2%B2O3 and is a potentially economic source of lithium and boron. The Lower Jadarite Zone lies between 300 and 600 metres below surface and ranges from 9 to 20 metres in thickness. Only the Lower Jadarite Zone is included within the current Inferred Resource.

The Order of Magnitude study indicated that the Jadar lithium project is amenable to conventional underground mining. A simple upgrading process produces a mineral concentrate from which two saleable products (lithium carbonate and boric acid) can be extracted. Capital and operating costs were estimated for a nominal ore production rate of 1 million tonnes per annum and support the classification of an Inferred Resource^[1].

CP Statement

The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources is based on information compiled by Paul Gribble who is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, a JORC Recognised Overseas Professional Organisation 'ROPO'. Paul Gribble is a full-time employee of Wardrop Engineering and has experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposits under consideration and to the activity which they have undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Minerals Resources and Ore Reserves'. Paul Gribble consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

The information in this press release that relates to the Exploration Process is based on information compiled by Gerard Rheinberger who is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). Gerard Rheinberger is a full-time employee of Rio Tinto and has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which they are undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Gerard Rheinberger consents to the inclusion in the press release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

[1]No ore reserves have been defined for the project at this stage, and any such production is accordingly subject to the identification of sufficient ore reserves from current and any further identified mineralisation.

 

END

 

 

STRUWUWRKBRAURR