AFRITIN Limited has announced that metallurgical test work results have shown the successful production of a petalite lithium concentrate at its flagship asset at the tin mine at Uis, where it will be constructing a pilot processing plant.
According to a statement from the London-listed technology metals mining company’s CEO, Anthony Viljoen, this indicates the potential for a lithium by-product at the open-cast mine, situated in the Erongo region.
The patelite concentrate is used in the manufacture of fire-proof premium glass and ceramics, and is suitable feedstock for battery-grade lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide converters.
This is a welcome development, considering that the Nambian government is on a deliberate drive to encourage the development and investment in renewable energy projects, with lithium batteries used for storing solar energy.
Rechargeable lithium batteries are the best match for solar panels due to how they charge.
“We are pleased to announce the results from the first phase of lithium test work for the Uis Mine, showing the potential for producing a high-quality petalite lithium concentrate from our lithium mineral resource.
“The lithium resource is contained within the currently mined ore body, and the lithium concentrate will be a by-product to our existing tin concentrate. These positive test results allow us to progress to the design and construction of a lithium pilot plant at Uis,” Viljoen said.
The tin mine at Uis has estimated reserves of 60 million tonnes of ore.
The company said the metallurgical test work produced high-purity petalite lithium concentrate presenting low contaminant levels.
Several potential off-takers in the lithium conversion industry have expressed interest in the company’s expected lithium by-product, said AfriTin.
The statement added that the metallurgical test work was independently conducted with three test service providers in South Africa – LightDeepEarth, Pesco and Geolabs Global – with bulk ore samples collected from the active mining area and the discard stream of the current processing plant at Uis.
The next phase of lithium test work will optimise flotation operating parameters and will involve the existing and two additional test work service providers, Nagrom of Australia and Anzaplan of Germany.
A bulk sample of 11 tonnes has already been collected for treatment at Nagrom’s test facility in Australia, to produce lithium petalite concentrate product samples.
AfriTin has also appointed South African firm Consulmet as the contractor for designing and constructing a pilot plant at Uis, which would be commissioned later this year.
The petalite lithium concentrate produced from the pilot plant will initially be sold to premium glass and ceramic markets, and test material for existing and/or prospective converters of lithium ore concentrates to battery-grade lithium.
The company is also investigating the potential of sensor-based ore sorting technology to produce a lithium pre-concentrate prior to concentration with DMS and flotation.
The results of the metallurgical test work and lithium pilot campaigns will inform the process flow design of the full-scale, integrated lithium beneficiation circuit, which is targeted for implementation in 2024.
Email: matthew@namibian.com.na
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