Preliminary Chunya Project Metallurgical Study ...

SHANTA GOLD LIMITED ("Shanta" or the "Company") PRELIMINARY CHUNYA PROJECT METALLURGICAL STUDY RESULTS ANNOUNCEMENT DIRECT CYANIDE LEACH RECOVERIES MAY BE AS HIGH AS 88% 22 June 2009 Shanta is pleased to announce that SGS South Africa (Pty) Ltd has completed the preliminary general mineralogical and gold deportment studies for the Chunya project in southern Tanzania. The studies were conducted on chips from RC drilling completed during 2008. Direct cyanidation of a combined sample with an 80% -75 micron grind returned recoveries ranging between 81% and 88% and gravity test work on the same yielded recoveries that varied between 17% and 44%. The studies were aimed at achieving an understanding of the occurrence of the gold and ascertain a possible cost effective and practical processing route for a potential future mining operation. The samples were thoroughly tested and the following procedure was followed: - Samples were combined, dried, screened and milled to achieve between 51% and 68% passing -75 micron. A head assay, major element XRF analysis, total sulphur and organic carbon and arsenic were determined; - Grading analysis, heavy liquid separation, gravity concentration and X-ray diffraction were conducted on subsamples, and QEMSCAN Bulk Mineralogical Analysis was used to determine the mineralogical composition of each sample and the gold occurrences; - Cyanide leach tests were conducted on subsamples of the original composites and on gravity tails samples, all milled to 80% -75 micron; and - Occluded gold was determined by hot acid and CIL dissolution. The following general observations and conclusions were reached from this test work: - The silver to gold ratio was found to be between ~1.5:1 to 2.4:1, average ~1.8:1; - Arsenic content is low so arsenopyrite is expected to be rare; - Gravity separation using heavy liquid separation and Falcon Concentration was used, and showed the gravity upgrading might not be viable, as the total gold recovery by gravity varies between ~17% and 44%; - Direct cyanidation tests revealed that between 81% and 88% of the gold is recoverable by that method; - Direct cyanidation of the gravity tails recovered between 79% and 87% of the gold in the tails. Further metallurgical test work has been commissioned to optimise the gravity and direct cyanidation leach recovery. The 80% -75 micron grind material will be batch tested through a Knelson centrifugal concentrator to optimise the gravity recovery. Batch dissolution tests will be conducted on the combined material and the tails to characterise and further optimise the cyanidation leach characteristics and recoveries. SGS LAKEFIELD plans to also implement and test the leach characteristics and recoveries of a finer grind i.e. 80% to -53micron. It is expected that the finer grind may release more occluded gold and elevate the direct cyanide leach recovery to above 90%. The results are expected within 4-5 weeks. The results of this test work will be integrated into the conceptual study that has been commissioned to determine the economic parameters of a small to medium sized operation at Chunya where a resource of 845,000 ounces was announced in April 2009. For further information: Shanta Gold Limited http://www.shantagold.com Walton Imrie Mobile: +27 (0) 82 444 2851 David Scott Mobile: + 255 (0) 784 366146 Fairfax I.S. PLC Ewan Leggat / Laura Littley +44 (0) 20 7598 5368 GLOSSARY JORC - The Joint Ore Reserves Committee. The Australasian Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the 'JORC Code' or 'the Code'), which sets out minimum standards, recommendations and guidelines for Public Reporting of exploration results, mineral resources and ore reserves in Australasia. Measured Resource. An in-situ mineral resource calculated with a high confidence level to which economic parameters have not been applied. Also that part of a mineral resource where the data used for inspection, sampling and measurement is of sufficient quality and density such that the geological character, continuity, grade and nature are sufficiently well understood to define the location and characteristics of mineralisation with a high degree of confidence Indicated Resource. An in-situ mineral resource calculated with a moderate confidence level to which economic parameters have not been applied. Inferred Resource. An in-situ mineral resource calculated with a low confidence level to which economic parameters cannot be applied. QEMSCAN Bulk Mineralogical Analysis - QEMSCAN is an automated process mineralogical instrument consisting of a base scanning electron microscope, equipped with four light element energy dispersive X-ray detectors, a micro-analyser and an electronic processing unit that acquires and processes chemical, textural and liberation data. It reveals textures in the deposit and exports this data to 3D imaging software, performs automated trace mineral searches to identify precious or rare minerals like gold in the material and can provide liberation and grain size data. XRF - X-ray Fluorescence is the emission of characteristic "secondary" (or fluorescent) X-rays from a material that has been excited by bombarding with high-energy X-rays or gamma rays and this phenomenon is used for elemental and chemical analysis, whereby a sample of some of the rock is analysed for its elemental composition, determining what elements are present, and how much of each are present. ---END OF MESSAGE--- This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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