American
Manganese To File Patent Application For Proprietary Process To Produce
Electrolytic Manganese Metal From Its Artillery Peak Resources
May 20, 2010 - Vancouver, British Columbia
Larry W. Reaugh, President and Chief Executive Officer of
American Manganese Inc., (TSX.V: AMY; Pink Sheets: AMYZF) (�American
Manganese� or the �Company�) is pleased to report Kemetco Research Inc.
(�Kemetco�) has completed its task to develop a conceptual process for
extraction and recovery of high purity manganese metal from the Company�s vast
manganese resources at Artillery Peak, Mohave County, Arizona.
The overall process, based on a unique application of
commercially available process equipment is deemed to be very robust, energy
efficient, uses minimal water and in addition to production of electrolytic
manganese metal will also produce a clean, saleable anhydrous sodium sulphate
by-product. The energy to recover water and destroy dithionates is
balanced with the energy produced by burning of sulphur to produce sulphur
dioxide. High energy requirements for these applications were a major
challenge facing prior art. Dithionate destruction yields sulphur dioxide
which can be recycled to the leaching stage and use of water is minimized thru
production of solid tailings which can be returned to worked out areas of the
open pit.
The Company has agreed to Kemetco�s recommendation to seek
patent protection for this novel innovative proprietary technology which will
enable the manganese resources at Artillery Peak to be processed at minimum
cost: Kemetco will prepare and submit documents for patent application
immediately.
Solid waste products are benign. Overall, the process
is judged to be a significant development in hydrometallurgy for production of
manganese metal from U.S. domestic resources.
- China controls electrolytic
manganese production (EMM) supplying and producing 97.44% of the worlds
needs (2.6 billion pounds per year).
- There is no substitution
for manganese in steel (total manganese market greater than 30 billion
pounds per year, fourth largest traded metal).
- The most critical metal at
risk to supply and restriction in the United States. No US
production.
- EMM�s greatest uses are
upgrading specialty steel 47%, manufacture of aluminum 32% and electronics
14%.
- China has a 20% export duty
on EMM and the US has a 14% import duty, world price is $1.33/lb. and US
price is $1.68/lb.
- Manganese resources are
declining in China.
- Overall manganese market
grew at 8% per year to 30 billion pounds up to 2008. EMM market grew
at 26% per year from 2003 � 2008 to 2.6 billion pounds per year.
About American Manganese Inc.:
American Manganese Inc. is a diversified specialty and
critical metal Company focusing on potentially becoming the lowest cost producer
of electrolytic manganese from its Arizona Manganese Project
About Kemetco Research Inc.:
Kemetco Research is privately owned contract Research and
Development Company specializing in extractive metallurgy, chemical processing
and specialty chemical analysis. Kemetco was formed after the acquisition
of the Industrial Process Division of BC Research. BC Research had been
in operation for over 60 years as an R&D contractor in British Columbia,
Canada.
This
release has been reviewed by John W. Fisher, P.Eng. a qualified person pursuant
to National Instrument 43-101.
On behalf
of Management
AMERICAN
MANGANESE INC.
Larry W. Reaugh
President and Chief Executive Officer
Information Contact
Larry W. Reaugh
President and Chief Executive Officer
Head Office: 2A 15782 Marine Drive, White Rock, B.C.
V4B 1E6
Telephone: 604-531-9639 Facsimile:
604-531-9634
www.americanmanganeseinc.com
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