Frontier's exploration program at Zandkopsdrift well underway, PEA expected in Q4

Frontier Rare Earths (TSE:FRO) announced Monday that exploration at its Zandkopsdrift rare earths mine in the northern region of Cape Province in South Africa is well under way, with a preliminary economic assessment scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter.
The mineral exploration and development company, which focuses on the development of rare earths in Southern Africa, is in talks with several companies to develop strategic partnerships to accelerate development of the mine.
The Luxembourg-based company said it has already been approached by several potential partners that will be able to provide it with financial, technical and marketing assistance. A partnership is expected to be concluded within the near term, it added.
"We have made significant progress at Zandkopsdrift in 2011, and are on track to complete our preliminary economic assessment in the fourth quarter of this year," said president and CEO, James Kenny.
Frontier, which owns a 95% interest in the property, has completed a total of 11,448 metres of drilling since January, with an additional 6,500 metres to be completed by the end of September 2011.
Metallurgical tests are underway at the property, with approximately 5,500 kilograms of core from the mine shipped for assays and another 3,200 samples to be submitted for testing by the end of this month.
The testing program, which commenced mid-May and will examine mineralogical analysis, ore characterization, bench scale flotation, and leaching and separation testing, is intended to identify optimal flow sheets for rare earth recovery.
Rare earth minerals, which are a group of 17 elements including Cerium, Thulium, Ytterbium and Scandium, are often used in lasers, magnets and batteries. Currently, China produces over 97% of the world's supply, with only few deposits of the rare minerals outside the country.
Outside Molycorp's Mountain Pass project in California and Lynas' Mount Weld property in Western Australia, Frontier's Zandkopsdrift has the highest grade of total rare earth oxides (TREO) and the high value heavy rare earth oxides (HREO), which include the elements Europium, Terbium, and Dysprosium.
In October 2010, Frontier reported estimated indicated resources of 22.92 million tonnes, containing 532,000 tonnes of TREO at an average grade of 2.32%. Inferred resources of 20.81 million tonnes, containing 415,000 tonnes of TREO at an average grade of 1.99%, were also reported.
Frontier, whose stock on the Toronto Stock Exchange closed at $1.85 on Friday, said it expects current drilling will further upgrade resources.