GREAT
WESTERN MINERALS GROUP TO LAUNCH STEENKAMPSKRAAL EXPLORATION PROGRAM
Great Western Minerals Group Ltd.
("GWMG" or the "Company", TSX:V � GWG) announces that
it has committed to an exploration program at the Company's Steenkampskraal site in South Africa in conjunction
with the ongoing feasibility work being carried out by SRK Consulting.
GWMG will invest a minimum of $1.5
Million (Cdn.) in an exploration program, on
site and regionally, that is scheduled to commence immediately upon
receipt of the National Nuclear Regulator (�NNR�) approval for the
on-site work program at Steenkampskraal related
to the Bankable Feasibility Study currently being prepared by SRK
Consulting. The NNR approval is expected within the first quarter of
2011.
The Steenkampskraal
Mine produced a monazite concentrate between 1952 and 1963. Monazite is a
rare earth-bearing phosphate mineral that has been commercially processed
globally for many years.
There has been very limited
exploration work carried out on the property historically, and when
mining was stopped, due to thorium market conditions, the deposit had
only been mined to a depth of approximately 100 metres.
The Company recently purchased an extensive database of information from
Anglo American PLC, the previous mine operators, which is invaluable in helping identify on site target areas for additional
resources. Geologically, the mineralization is thought to have a magmatic
source and part of the exploration program will include diamond drilling
to test the potential for additional resources at depth and along strike.
The Steenkampskraal
mine is located approximately 70 kilometers north of the town of Vanrhynsdorp and approximately 350 kilometers
northwest of Cape Town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.
Jim Engdahl,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Great Western Minerals Group
said, "Historical data suggests there is an opportunity to
significantly expand on the potential of the Steenkampskraal
deposit, a strategy that is very important to GWMG. The commitment to
launch an exploration program, at the same time we are completing our
feasibility work, is indicative of the focus that GMWG is placing on Steenkampskraal as a vital component of our Company�s
plans to be a vertically integrated Rare Earths producer."
Jim Engdahl
President and CEO
Great Western Minerals Group Ltd.
is an integrated Rare Earths processor. Its specialty alloys are used in
the battery, magnet and aerospace industries. Produced at the Company's
wholly owned subsidiaries Less Common Metals Limited in Birkenhead, U.K.
and Great Western Technologies Inc. in Troy, Michigan, these alloys
contain aluminium, nickel, cobalt and Rare
Earth Elements. As part of the Company's vertical integration strategy,
GWMG has signed an Off-take Agreement for 100% of the Rare Earth Elements
produced at the former producing Steenkampskraal
mine in South Africa and holds 70.2% ownership in Rare Earth Extraction
Co. Limited, the owner of the Steenkampskraal
mine. GWMG also holds interests in seven Rare Earth exploration and
development properties in North America.
For further information, please
contact Dwight Percy, Manager of Investor Relations at (306) 659-4500.
Email inquiries should be made to info@gwmg.ca and the company website is located at www.gwmg.ca. Inquiries by direct mail should
be addressed to Great Western Minerals Group Ltd., 219 Robin Crescent,
Saskatoon, SK S7L 6M8.
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