TORONTO, April 19, 2017 /CNW/ - Potash Ridge Corporation ("Potash Ridge" or the "Corporation") (TSX: PRK) is pleased to announce an update to the independent NI 43-101 Prefeasibility Technical Report (the "January 2017 PFS") for the Corporation's Blawn Mountain Project in Utah ("Blawn Mountain") dated January 18, 2017.

The January 2017 PFS assumed the production of 232,000 tons per year of potassium sulphate ("SOP") together with a by-product sulphuric acid from 153.3 million tons of proven and probable alunite reserves.  Alumina-rich material was assumed to go into tailings. 

This updated NI 43-101 Prefeasibility Technical Report (the "April 2017 PFS") includes Resources for the alumina from alunite contained in the tailings and was prepared by Millcreek Mining Group and Resource Development Inc.

Based on the April 2017 PFS, Blawn Mountain contains 19.4 million tons of measured and indicated alumina Resources contained in the alunite ore.  

The United States Geological Survey reports that in 2015 bauxite, which is 50% alumina and 50% other materials, sold for US$28 per ton in the United States, while processed alumina sold for US$410 per ton.

Alumina contained in the alunite ore is presently not considered a Reserve, as an economic method of recovery has not been established. The above table presents the Measured and Indicated alumina Resources contained within the alunite ore that will be used to produce SOP and sulphuric acid. The resources shown above exclude alumina (Al₂O₃) contained in non-alunite material that will be mined as part of extracting the alunite for processing, and which will be included in tailings.

Following the release of the January 2017 PFS, several parties approached the Corporation to explore potential applications for the alumina-rich residue material, including as a binding agent in the production of concrete, a raw material for the production of aluminum with a much smaller environmental footprint than bauxite, and other industrial applications. Commercial discussions are currently aimed at determining the optimal product mix.  

Based on the mine plan in the April 2017 PFS, 19.4 million tons of pure alumina will be placed in the tailings over the 46-year project life, representing approximately 420,000 tons per year of pure alumina from alunite going into the tailings.

Based on the recommendations from the April 2017 PFS, Potash Ridge intends to undertake additional metallurgical testing to determine the most economic means to extract alumina from the residual waste material.

"Blawn Mountain is already a world-class SOP fertilizer project, with a long project life and very low operating costs," stated Guy Bentinck, the Corporation's CEO. "The realization of market demand for the alumina contained in our tailings provides tremendous value upside potential and diversity to our revenue stream."

The updated April 2017 PFS is expected to be posted on the Corporation's website at www.potashridge.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com on or about April 24, 2017. 

Qualified Persons

Each of the Qualified Persons ("QPs") shown below has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosures contained in the Technical Report and in this release and are independent of the Corporation. QPs have verified the data including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information or opinions contained herein. The QPs responsible are:

Jason Todd - Mining and Financial
Steven Kerr – Geology

About Potash Ridge

Potash Ridge's strategy is to become a premier producer of potassium sulphate in North America. The Corporation owns two SOP projects: the Valleyfield Project that plans to produce SOP through the Mannheim Process; and the Blawn Mountain Project in Utah that plans to produce potassium sulphate by mining and processing alunite bearing rock. Potash Ridge has a highly qualified and proven management team in place with significant financial, project management and operational experience and the ability to take projects into production.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the Corporation's expectations regarding future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects. These forward-looking statements include statements related to advancing the Valleyfield Project and may also include statements that are predictive in nature, or that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and can generally be identified by words such as "may", "will", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", "guidance" or similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent the Corporation's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the state of the equity capital markets; the receipt of any required approvals for the private placement; the future financial or operating performance of the Corporation and its subsidiaries and its mineral projects; the anticipated results of exploration activities; the estimation of mineral resources; the realization of mineral resource estimates; capital, development, operating and exploration expenditures; costs and timing of the development of the Corporation's mineral projects; timing of future exploration; requirements for additional capital; climate conditions; government regulation of mining operations; anticipated results of economic and technical studies; environmental matters; receipt of the necessary permits, approvals and licenses in connection with exploration and development activities; appropriation of the necessary water rights and water sources; changes in commodity prices; recruiting and retaining key employees; construction delays; litigation; competition in the mining industry; reclamation expenses; reliability of historical exploration work; reliance on historical information acquired by the Corporation; optimization of technology to be employed by the Corporation; title disputes or claims and other similar matters.

If any of the assumptions or estimates made by management prove to be incorrect, actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Such assumptions include, but are not limited to, the following: that general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties remain favorable; that agriculture fertilizers are expected to be a major driver in increasing yields to address demand for premium produce, such as fruits and vegetables, as well as diversified protein rich diets necessitating grains and other animal feed; that actual results of exploration activities justify further studies and development of the Corporation's mineral projects; that the future prices of minerals remain at levels that justify the exploration and future development and operation of the Corporation's mineral projects; that there is no failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; that accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry do not occur; that there are no unanticipated delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of future studies, development or construction activities; that the actual costs of exploration and studies remain within budgeted amounts; that regulatory and legal requirements required for exploration or development activities do not change in any adverse manner; that input cost assumptions do not change in any adverse manner, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Corporation's Annual Information Form (AIF) for the year-ended December 31, 2016 found on sedar.com. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Potash Ridge Corporation