NAMEKARA VERMICULITE
"In excess of 5 million tonnes of reserves! Good for over 100 years of production."The Namekara deposit is located on the southern ring of the Bukusu carbonatite complex, which is approximately 13 km in diameter. The Busumbu phosphate deposit is approximately 1 km to the south-east.
The entire structure is in Mbale district of south-east Uganda, very close to the Kenya border.
Preliminary investigation of the site had been done over the past 50 years by a number of geologists. More focused work completed last year by Canmin Resources Limited ("Canmin") has quantified substantial reserves of recoverable vermiculite. There are other adjacent areas that have not yet been explored.
The existing raw ore is typically pale yellow to dark bronze in colour. The entire deposit is characterized by material of large flakes, a unique feature which will give Canmin a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Exploration and Development Work Completed...
Throughout 1998, 1999, and to date, the significant work on the project by Canmin has been as follows:
review published record of previous investigative work on site;
- establish appropriate agreements and permits;
- commission independent technical report and assessment;
- prepare business plans;
- commission an Environmental Impact Study, and obtain appropriate approvals;
- complete trenching exploration to a depth of approximately 15 meters;
- complete diamond drilling exploration of primary site to a depth of approximately 50 meters;
- commission independent laboratory testing of vermiculite ore for:
- exfoliation performance;
- characteristics and properties of the material;
- absence of asbestos.
- remove overburden and open mine;
- establish office in Kampala;
- assemble management team;
- construct initial infrastructure at mine site, including access road;
- produce samples for distribution to initial targeted customers;
- drill water well on site;
- fabricate initial processing equipment;
- establish letters of intent from first customers.
Production of Commercial Vermiculite...
There are three principal steps in the production of commercial vermiculite - mining, processing of ore, and exfoliation.
The processing of the ore involves the following steps, all of which are not very complex:
- milling, to break-up the flakes;
- drying the material to a lower moisture content;
- removal of contaminants and foreign material;
- screening to uniform sizes of flakes.
The international standard for pricing is based in Rotterdam, and price of processed ore varies from US$ 160 - 260 per tonne, with the range being a function of the flake size and quality. Good quality coarse flake will achieve the upper-end prices.
Processed ore is usually shipped in 100 kg bags or in 20 foot shipping containers which will hold up to 21 tonnes.
End Applications for Vermiculite...
Exfoliated vermiculite imparts various characteristics to end-use products - fire resistance, low density, insulation, adhesion, resistance to cracking chipping and shrinkage, sterility, and the ability to absorb liquids.
End-uses vary considerably in different geographical areas; for example, the middle east is a major consumer of large flake product for insulation (from heat) and for agriculture and hydroponics. On the other hand, the United States uses large quantities for building materials.
Other applications of vermiculite include packaging, plaster boards, additive to concrete, gaskets, brake linings, carrier for fertilizer and pesticides, soil conditioner and aeration, swimming pool construction, storage of bulbs and root crops, paints and sealants
The current international market comprises approximately 500,000 tonnes per annum.
Principal countries of supply are: United States, South Africa, China, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Australia.
