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21.02.2018
Prairie Mining: Drill Results Affirm Jan Karski´s Status as a Globally Significant Semi-Soft (Type 34) Coking Coal Project

Prairie Mining: Drill Results Affirm Jan Karski´s Status as a Globally Significant Semi-Soft (Type 34) Coking Coal Project

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

 

-          Prairie’s use of modern exploration techniques continues to transform the Jan Karski Mine with latest drill results re-affirming the capability of the Jan Karski Mine to produce high value ultra-low ash semi-soft coking coal, known as Type 34 coal in Poland

-          Outstanding results from coke oven testing demonstrate superior coal quality specification compared to typical parameters of internationally traded semi-soft coking coals and domestic Type 34 coals, including an exceptionally high Coke Strength after Reaction which is a parameter highly prized by steelmakers

-          Historically Poland’s Lublin Coal Basin has been associated with thermal coal production, however Prairie’s exploration program conducted according to international standards has demonstrated beyond doubt that the 391 coal seam at Jan Karski hosts a globally significant deposit of semi-soft / Type 34 coking coal

-          Washplant flow sheet design conducted as part of the China Coal technical studies anticipates mine production will be up to 75% ultra-low ash semi-soft / Type 34 coking coal, with outstanding overall saleable coal yield of 82%

-          Czech and Polish supply of semi-soft / Type 34 coking coal to the European steel industry has dramatically decreased over the last two years due to mine closures and declining production, with regional coke and steelmakers forced to replace the supply deficit with imports

-          Benchmarking analysis of Jan Karski’s ultra-low ash product against semi-soft coking coal produced in the Czech Republic and from recently closed Polish mines demonstrates the potential of the Jan Karski Type 34 coal to replace these coals in the regional market

-          The Company can now advance discussions with regional steelmakers and coke producers for future coking coal sales and offtake on the basis of selling ultra-low ash semi-soft / Type 34 coking coals from Jan Karski

-          Drill results will be incorporated in China Coal’s technical studies for the Jan Karski Mine

 

Prairie Mining Limited (“Prairie” or “Company”) is pleased to announce the results of enhanced coal quality analysis and test work from a recently completed borehole (Kulik 1) at its 100% owned Jan Karski Mine (“Jan Karski or “Project”). The coking coal quality results are superior to the drill results announced in May 2017, and further confirm that Jan Karski is a globally significant semi-soft coking coal (“SSCC”) / Type 34 coking coal deposit with the potential to produce a high value ultra-low ash SSCC with an exceptional CSR and a high 75% coking coal product split.

 

Comparison of the latest coking coal quality results to other mines in Poland and the Czech Republic that have historically produced SSCC or Type 34 coking coal show the great potential Jan Karski has to meet European market demand for Type 34 semi-soft coking coal as production from other Czech and Polish mines continues to diminish over the coming years.

 

Table 1: SSCC / Type 34 Coking Coal Quality – Jan Karski (Kulik 1) compared to other Czech and Polish Type 34 coals

Parameter

Jan Karski (Kulik 1)

Typical SSCC Coal (Upper Silesia - Poland)

Darkov

(Czech Republic)

Karvina CSA

(Czech Republic)

Rank (Ro)

0.85

0.82

1.15

1.00

VM %

35-37

38

27

28

Ash %

3.5

8.4

8.0

8.0

FSI

7.0

6.5

4.5

5

Roga Index

82

70

-

-

Vitrinite %

84

-

43

42

Dilatation

64

59

25

25

Fluidity

268

380

300

500

CSR

54

-

45-48

45-50

Type

34.2

34.2

-

-

 

These latest results will be incorporated into the non-JORC technical studies currently underway by Prairie’s strategic partner, China Coal.

 

Prairie’s CEO Ben Stoikovich commented: “Prairie’s modern exploration program has demonstrated that Jan Karski is a globally significant semi-soft / Type 34 coking coal project, whereas historically the Lublin Coal Basin has been associated with thermal coal production only. This presents an outstanding economic development opportunity for the Lublin region, and Chelm province in particular, to become a leading European supplier of coking coal to the steel industry. Our latest studies anticipate that up to 75% of saleable production will be semi-soft / Type 34 coking coal, which is a high value product with the current benchmark FOB Australia price at ~USD135/t. With such a high proportion of saleable product from Jan Karski anticipated to be high value semi-soft / Type 34 coking coal, project economics are likely to be significantly enhanced compared to the 2016 Pre-Feasibility Study results. Coal tested from the Kulik 1 borehole demonstrated exceptional coking parameters, including CSR of 54, swelling index of 7.0 and fluidity of 268. With the ongoing closure of coal mines in the Czech Republic and Poland that produce semi-soft / Type 34 coking coal, there is a growing regional market opportunity for Jan Karski ultra-low ash semi-soft / Type 34 coking coals. Independent analysis has indicated that due to the superior coal quality of Jan Karski semi-soft / Type 34 coking coal, we have the potential to achieve market pricing of some 10% above the standard international SSCC benchmarks.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Prairie Mining Limited

Ben Stoikovich, Chief Executive Officer

Sapan Ghai, Head of Corporate Development

Email: info@pdz.com.au

Tel: +44 207 478 3900

 

RESULTS FROM RECENT DRILLING AND EXPANDED COAL QUALITY ANALYSIS

 

Prairie has now completed drilling the Kulik 1 borehole at Jan Karski which was a large diameter borehole enabling sufficient quantities of coal from the 391 seam to be collected to meet the requirements for physical coke testing, specifically confirmation of Coke Strength after Reaction (“CSR”) and extended coal washability test work. Coke testing was conducted at Centralne Laboratorium Pomiarowo-Badawcze Sp. z o.o. (“CLPB”) laboratories in Poland which is controlled by JastrzÄ™bska SpóÅ‚ka WÄ™glowa (“JSW”) and is internationally accredited as a commercial coal and coke testing laboratory. Washability and other basic coal quality analyses were conducted in the UK. CSR analysis is considered vital in testing for a coal’s coking properties and is important to steelmakers as it is an indicator of the performance / strength of the coke produced from the coal. The full range of standard coking tests were also conducted as shown in Table 2 below:

 

Table 2: Analysis results from Jan Karski Kulik 1 borehole – 391 seam

COKING PROPERTIES

 

 

FSI

 

7.0

Roga Index

 

82

CSR

%

54.0

CRI

%

36.5

Ash in Coke

%

5.8

Sulphur in Coke

%

0.78

 

 

 

Giesler Plastometer

 

 

Initial Softening

°C

404

Max Fluidity temp

°C

440

Resolidification

°C

463

Max Fluidity

ddpm

268

 

 

 

ASTM Dilation

 

 

Softening Temperature

°C

380

Max Contraction Temp

°C

420

Max Dilation Temp

°C

450

Max Dilation

% D

64

PROXIMATE ANALYSIS

 

 

Inherent moisture

adb%

1.73

Ash

adb%

3.45

Volatile Matter

adb%

35.5

OTHER COAL PROPERTIES

 

 

Sulphur

ar%

1.00

Rank (Ro)

 

0.85

Vitrinite

%

84

 

Please follow the link to view entire news:

https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20180221/pdf/43rrvwy7v1f06y.pdf

 



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