Ivanhoe’s Kipushi zinc mine in the DRC officially reopens
The restart marked exactly a century since the mine first went into production.
TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Sept. 6, 2011) – Allana Potash Corp. (TSX VENTURE:AAA) (“Allana”or the “Company”), is pleased to announce that it has awarded a Feasibility Study contract to ERCOSPLAN Ingenieurgesellschaft Geotechnik und Bergbau (“ERCOSPLAN”) for its Ethiopian Potash Project. ERCOSPLAN has been involved in Allana’s Ethiopian Potash project since 2008 and completed an updated National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”) compliant resource estimate for the property in June 2011. ERCOSPLAN is a widely recognized world leader in potash exploration techniques and potash mining and processing. In addition to Allana, ERCOSPLAN’s clients include some of the largest potash exploration companies and potash producers in the world.
Farhad Abasov, Allana’s President and CEO, stated: “Allana is very pleased to engage ERCOSPLAN to complete a Feasibility Study for our potash project. As a world leader in potash mining, processing and related operations, ERCOSPLAN will play a key role in advancing this project. The Study will begin immediately with additional equipment being mobilized to the site and expansion of the camp underway. With relatively shallow potash deposit Allana will consider open pit mining method along with solution mining. We expect that by the end of 2011 technical and economic parameters of open pit and solution mining methods will have been examined so that the management can determine what is the optimal mining method at the initial production stage. Once the mining method is determined the rest of the feasibility study will focus on the details based on that method. This is an important milestone for Allana since this timely start of the feasibility study will allow us to stay on track with our development plans. We look forward to working with ERCOSPLAN as we move forward to production and continue advancing our strategic talks with large fertilizer organizations.”
As the successor to the former Kali-Ingenieurbüro Erfurt, ERCOSPLAN is a specialist consulting and engineering group whose core activities include project management in all aspects of the extraction and processing of industrial potash and mineral salts.
ERCOSPLAN recently completed a NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate for Allana’s Ethiopian Potash Project which will form the basis for the Feasibility Study (see news release dated June 20, 2011). ERCOSPLAN will investigate the potential to extract potash via open pit mining as well as solution mining and solar evaporation, to produce MOP and SOP products. The Feasibility Study is estimated to be completed in the second half of 2012 and will begin immediately.
About Allana Potash Corp.
Allana is a publicly traded corporation with a focus on the acquisition and development of potash assets internationally with its major focus on a previously explored potash property in Ethiopia. Allana has secured financial support from two significant strategic investors: IFC, a member of World Bank Group, and Liberty Metals and Mining, PLC, a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual Group. Allana has Measured and Indicated Sylvinite Resources of 97.8 million tonnes of 30.0% KCl; Inferred Sylvinite Resource of 108.3 million tonnes grading 31.3% KCl; Measured and Indicated Kainitite Resources of 284.2 million tonnes at 19.8%, Inferred Kainitite Resource of 271.2 million tonnes of 20.3% KCl; Measured and Indicated Upper Carnallitite Resources of 78.5 million tonnes grading 18.4% KCl, Inferred Upper Carnallitite Resource of 85.6 million tonnes of 17.1% KCl; Measured and Indicated Lower Carnallitite Resources of 212.6 million tonnes of 12.0% KCl, Inferred Lower Carnallitite Resource of 130.7 million tonnes grading 11.7% KCl. Allana has approximately 196.5 million shares outstanding and trades on the TSX-Venture Exchange under the symbol “AAA”.
Peter J. MacLean, Ph.D., P. Geo., Allana’s Senior VP Exploration, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information presented in this release.
Picture of hot springs on the company’s potash property that can reach temperatures of 120 degrees Celcius on surface, courtesy of the company.
For more on the company click here.
