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Tasman Metals reports highly positive initial metallurgical test results for Norra Karr Rare Earth-Zirconium Project

Published: 09:54 04 May 2011 EDT

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Tasman Metals (CVE:TSM, FRA:T61, PINK:TASXF) report “significant advancements” in metallurgical processing research being carried out on rare earth element (REE) - zirconium (Zr) mineralization at the company’s flagship Norra Karr project.  The work is being undertaken by SGS Minerals Services.


Results were impressive, with work to date showing that 90% of REE mineralization at Norra Karr is hosted by
zirconosilicates which liberate “effectively and have high surface area exposure”.  This unique characteristic allowed SGS Mineral Services to recover more than 90% of the REE’s using pre-leach at room temperature followed by an acid roast and leach.


"Given the key hurdle for REE projects is often metallurgy, we are extremely pleased to have developed such a successful processing method for Norra Karr mineralization in such a rapid timeframe, and congratulate all the SGS staff involved" said Mark Saxon, President & CEO of Tasman.

"The flow-sheet uses widely available metallurgical chemicals at modest temperatures, which we believe augurs well for Norra Karr to be a potential low cost heavy REE and zirconium producer.  Furthermore, we are encouraged that this high recovery has been achieved on typical "run of mine" mineralization, without any pre-concentration."


The study was based on a 100 kilogram sample of drill cores taken by Tasman Metals at Norra Karr. SGS crushed and grinded the samples before running a series of concentration tests.


Today’s announcement was the second positive update from Tasman this week. On Monday, the Vancouver headquartered exploration company reported several encouraging drill intersects, including 221.4 meters averaging 0.63% total rare earth oxide (TREO), of which 47.9% was HREO, and 1.6% Zirconium Oxide.  Tasman noted that the same intersection had an REE grade 17% higher than the base case of the current inferred mineral resource of 60.5 million tonnes grading 0.54% Total Rare Earth Oxides, (TREO) at a cut off grade of 0.4%, and 1.72% of Zirconium Oxide.


Norra Kärr is located in south-central Sweden, near the town of Gränna, along the eastern shore of Lake Vättern. It is a peralkaline nepheline syenitic complex, about 1,200 meters long and 400 meters wide, that intrudes a series of Precambrian granites and gneisses collectively known as the Vaxjo Granite. Rare earths were first identified in the deposit in 1906.

Tasman acquired the property by staking the 549 hectare property and obtaining a grant over the concession in August of 2009.  Since then, the company has embarked on a series of exploration programs that have outlined the potential for a world class rare earth element project with a unusually high amount of the more highly sought after heavy rare earth elements (HREO).

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