Modern Mining August 2022

established a pilot processing plant which com menced partial operations in August 2019 producing tin concentrate, which it delivered to its offtake part ner, the Thailand Smelting and Refining Company (Thaisarco) in February 2020. According to Viljoen, the company has been pro gressing apace with its Phase 1 Expansion project, which will increase production of tin concentrate by 67% from current nameplate levels of 720 tonnes per year. Construction and commissioning of the expanded plant is on track to be completed this year. The miner currently generates $800 000 per month in operating cash flow from its Uis mine and is fully financed to complete the commissioning of its Phase 1 expansion and test-work programme. While the Uis tin mine’s resource is currently pegged at 71 mt in the measured and indicated category, recent efforts in firming up the resource indicate a potential to expand it to 200 mt. With the financial backing of its partners, AfriTin is well-positioned to grow its 1 mtpa operation to ten times the current size over the next few years. “We have pretty lofty ambitions and believe the Uis tin mine, with its host of key energy metals, will be the catalyst catapulting the company from being a junior miner to mid-tier status in the next four years,” says Viljoen. Lithium and tantalum upside According to Viljoen, the Uis orebody, a giant polymetallic deposit, is of global significance as it contains minerals key to the 21 st century supply chain.

Lithium production remains a hot topic, given the limited number of new lithium projects coming on stream. AIM-listed AfriTin sits in an enviable position as it is one of few new lithium producers bringing a project -into production. Lithium production remains a hot topic given the limited number of new lithium projects coming on-stream, and AIM-listed AfriTin is in an enviable position as it is one of few new lithium producers bringing a project into production. “While the Uis tin project offers a deposit that is significantly larger than we initially anticipated, the real bonanza for AfriTin is the inherent lithium and tantalum that the orebody produces. Also, the fact that we are in production for polymetallic min erals and able to produce lithium, gives us a huge

AfriTin established a pilot processing plant in August 2019.

Mining taking place at the Uis tin mine.

August 2022  MODERN MINING  13