May 26, 2010 - i-minerals inc. has commenced the 2010 Phase 1 drill program targeting primary clay deposits on its Helmer-Bovill property. During the last phase of drilling of these targets, a total of fifteen holes intersected significant thicknesses of primary clay, including several intercepts in excess of 100 feet. Nine of these fifteen holes were widely spaced over an area of about 1000 acres, while six were concentrated in the WBL Pit Area, adjacent to an old pit where primary clays had been previously mined solely for the kaolinite content. Together, these fifteen holes represent an area with potential to host in excess of 50 million tons of the kaolinite-halloysite-quartz-K-feldspar bearing primary clays. The purpose of the current drill program is to confirm the continuity of the primary clay horizons in areas where the clay can be most readily extracted as the first step in defining an inferred resource, with the WBL Pit Area being the first target. ("Primary clay" is a source of kaolinite and halloysite clays created by the intense weathering across millions of years of the granitiod parent rocks, wherein the sodium feldspar breaks down to form kaolinite and halloysite. Quartz and often potassium feldspar survives the weathering and remains as part of the resultant rock. Primary clay forms "in place" of the parent rock and maintains its relict texture. )
Previously completed metallurgical work on a bulk sample extracted from the WBL Pit Area indicated the primary clays to be comprised of 20% to 40% kaolinite, 5% to 13% halloysite, 20% to 40% quartz and 10 to 20% k-spar. Additional metallurgical work on the primary clay bulk sample, pozzolan testing of sample of the kaolinite fraction and flotation work to assess the possibilities of producing high purity quartz from the primary clay is ongoing.
"The WBL Area offers great promise," commented Roger Kauffman, President of i-minerals. "With the primary clays located over such a large area we have the potential to define a World class halloysite deposits with significant co-product value from the kaolinite, k-spar and quartz. Our bench scale metallurgical work completed to date indicates we can produce the brightest and purest mineral products in the Pacific Northwest, which together with our infrastructure and transportation advantages inherent to our location leaves the Company very well positioned."
A. Lamar Long, CPG, is the Qualified Person ("QP") for the Helmer-Bovill project under NI 43-101 standards. He oversees the quality control and quality assurance program and the selection and preparation of all samples for metallurgical analysis and reviews all analytical results prior to public disclosure.
Previously completed metallurgical work on a bulk sample extracted from the WBL Pit Area indicated the primary clays to be comprised of 20% to 40% kaolinite, 5% to 13% halloysite, 20% to 40% quartz and 10 to 20% k-spar. Additional metallurgical work on the primary clay bulk sample, pozzolan testing of sample of the kaolinite fraction and flotation work to assess the possibilities of producing high purity quartz from the primary clay is ongoing.
"The WBL Area offers great promise," commented Roger Kauffman, President of i-minerals. "With the primary clays located over such a large area we have the potential to define a World class halloysite deposits with significant co-product value from the kaolinite, k-spar and quartz. Our bench scale metallurgical work completed to date indicates we can produce the brightest and purest mineral products in the Pacific Northwest, which together with our infrastructure and transportation advantages inherent to our location leaves the Company very well positioned."
A. Lamar Long, CPG, is the Qualified Person ("QP") for the Helmer-Bovill project under NI 43-101 standards. He oversees the quality control and quality assurance program and the selection and preparation of all samples for metallurgical analysis and reviews all analytical results prior to public disclosure.
