Modern Mining April 2021

TIN, TANTALUM AND LITHIUM

Commencement of by-product test work at Uis

AfriTin Mining Limited has commenced its metallurgical test work programme to investigate the by product potentail of lithium oxide and tantalum in its current tin concentrate product. By Munesu Shoko .

A friTin Mining Limited (AIM: ATM), an African tin mining company with its flagship asset, the Uis Tin Mine in Namibia, the Uis Tin Mine, is advancing a metallurgical test work pro- gramme to investigate the by-product potential of two ancillary metals. Test work for a tantalum (Ta) concentrate is at an advanced stage, while lithium oxide (Li 2 O) concentrate test work is progressing to a second stage. Uis has a JORC (2012)-compliant measured, indi- cated and inferred mineral resource estimate totalling 71,54-million tonnes of ore containing 95 539 tonnes of tin (Sn) metal at a grade of 0,134% tin. In addition, the mineral resource estimate includes tantalum and lithium oxide. The presence of significant tantalum and lithium oxide mineralisation creates an opportunity for the development of additional revenue streams. Therefore, the company is advancing a metallurgical test work programme aimed at developing the pro- cess flow to efficiently produce tantalum and lithium oxide by-products.

Anthony Viljoen, CEO of AfriTin Mining Limited.

Anthony Viljoen, CEO of AfriTin Mining Limited, says following the achievement of nameplate tin concentrate production in November 2020, the Uis Tin Mine has exceeded production forecasts. “This provides an ideal platform for our metallurgi- cal test work programme to investigate the potential of two major by-products, namely lithium oxide and

The V1V2 pegmatite where mining is currently taking place.

tantalum. Successful implementa- tion of by-product streams may significantly increase our profit mar- gin and allow us to realise the goal of positioning the company in the lowest quartile of the world tin pro- ducer cost curve,” he says. Tantalum metallurgical investigations Tantalum at Uis occurs in the form of the columbite group minerals (CGM) which have a similar density to the tin-bearing mineral, cassiterite, and it is currently being recovered as part of the tin concentrate. At present, the company does not receive cred- its for the tantalum present within the tin concentrate. Therefore, the aim is to extract the tantalum bear- ing minerals from the tin concentrate into a separate saleable by-product. Metallurgical test work for the production of a separate tantalum

14  MODERN MINING  April 2021