加拿大紐芬蘭省的一家礦業公司Burin Minerals Ltd.(BML)，該公司在紐芬蘭省已探明的氟石（FLUORSPAR）儲量有800萬噸，由於目前氧化鋁價格上漲，作爲冶煉氧化鋁時的助溶劑，氟石的價格也在不斷上漲。該公司原先關閉的氟石廠也正計劃重新投入運營，加之距離美國近以及中國需求增長等因素，該公司希望感興趣的中國礦業公司能夠投資氟石廠。

    聯繫人：Phonce Cooper, P. Eng.
    General Manager
    Burin Minerals Ltd.
    P. O. Box 337
    St. Lawrence, NL
    A0E 2V0

    電話：1－709-873-3331
    傳真：1－709-873-3335
    e-mail: pcooper@nf.aibn.com

    該專案詳細情況如下：

Burin Minerals Ltd.(BML) is a registered Newfoundland & Labrador mining company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Burin Fluorspar Limited (BFL) of Alberta, Canada. BML owns mineral licenses and mining leases to all the major fluorspar deposits located at St. Lawrence on the Burin Peninsula, on the southeast coast of Newfoundland. The fluorspar resources are of high-quality with over 8 million tonnes of measured and indicated resources and a further 2.2 million tonnes of inferred resources. There is also a very high potential for further discoveries.

Fluorspar mining had its origin in St. Lawrence in 1933. The mines operated under the control of The Aluminim Company of Canada (ALCAN) until 1978 when the mines closed down due to low-cost Mexican fluorspar. They re-opened in 1988 only to shut down again in 1991. The 85,000 t (acidgrade) mill and other mine buildings were moth-balled. In 1995 the Newfoundland Government gave control of the St. Lawrence fluorpar properties to BML and later sold the assets to BML. Over $4 million has since been spent in feasibility work.

BML is presently joint-ventured with Glebe Mines Limited, a UK fluorspar producer, with Glebe providing technical support to the St. Lawrence project. In addition to Glebe, BML has its own technical and management group in St. Lawrence with me the general manager. BFL is a corporation owned by Canadian shareholders, the major shareholder of which is Mr. Gordon Stollery of Markham, Ontario, Canada.

Burin is presently seeking startup capital for its project. In light of the booming Chinese economy and a need to reduce fluorspar exports to compensate for an increasing internal requirements BML would like to talk with potential Chinese investors about investing in the Newfoundland fluorspar industry. BML believes there is an opportunity in St. Lawrence for the Chinese to offset its reduction in fluorspar exports at home with production from St. Lawrence. With a major interest in BML, the Chinese investor could potentially sell acidgrade fluorspar to its North American customers from St. Lawrence thus releasing some of its internal production for homeland use.

Some of the highlights and competitive advantages of BML's St. Lawrence fluorspar project are as follows:

1. Product Quality
The product is of above-average quality with low phosphorus and arsenic levels.

2. Proximity to the Port
The mill and mine are located within 1 km of the shipping facilities. Product will be delivered directly to the ship via a conveyance system.

3. Deepwater Port
A new port facility will be built, subsidized at $10 million by the Newfoundland Government, and will dock and load ships up to 60,000 tonne capacity.

4. Mine Assets
Current total mineral resource estimates for the Blue Beach North, Tarefare, Blowout and Director deposits are 10.3 million tonnes at 53.3% CaF2. Potential by-products include aggregate, dimension stone, and sulphides (silver, lead and zinc) that have been identified within the geology.

5. Mine Life
Initial reserves based on just 2 deposits estimate a 10-yr life however with additional underground development there is potential for extending the mine life considerably.

6. Mill Assets
The mill, built in 1987 and designed for 85,000 tpa of concentrate, is fully equipped and was professional mothballed in 1991. The mill assets are valued at over $10 million (Can).

7. Location
North American chemical companies are some of the largest consumers of acid-grade fluorspar and are interested in access to a high quality reserve in a stable economic and political environment. North American demand exceeds supply by a factor of 5. Burin’s production would be only 12% of North American demand and less than 5% of the world demand. St. Lawrence is conveniently located to service western European markets as readily as North American markets.

8. Extent of Resources
Resources are estimated at 10 years based on 2 of 41 fluorspar veins identified on property leased or staked by Burin. In 1999, 14,000 meters of new diamond drilling were carried out on 2 of 3 veins and potential for 800,000 plus tonnes of new resources in a 4th vein were identified. Burin plans to drill additional meters.

9. Low Cost Producer
Combination of fluorspar and aggregate production will allow Burin to be competitive with the world's low-cost producers.

10. Tax holiday
Burin has been granted a 10-year plus exemption from provincial corporate taxes.

11. Available and trained workforce
Most of the required workforce is located within 2 km of Burin’s mine site.

12. Advance marketing
Burin has secured the services of Minmet Financing of Switzerland to assist in contract negotiations with North America and European customers many of whom have already agreed in principle on a purchase agreement. Minmet has over 40 years experience in worldwide fluorspar marketing.

13. Chinese Factor
Growth in the Chinese economy is putting pressure on prices and raises concern about future availability as China re-directs exports to domestic consumption.