Name of the Project
Lindi Jumbo graphite project.

Location
South-east Tanzania.

Project Owner/s
Walkabout Resources.

Project Description
The Lindi Jumbo project has mineral ore reserves of 5.15-million tonnes grading 17.9% total graphitic carbon for 987 000 t of con­tained graphite.

The mine life has increased from 20 years in the 2017 definitive feasibility study (DFS) to 24 years in the enhanced DFS to produce 40 000 t/y of graphite.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The pretax net present value has increased from $302-million, at a 10% discount rate, in the 2017 DFS, to $335-million in the enhanced DFS. The project’s pretax internal rate of return is estimated at 142% in the enhanced DFS, from 108% in the 2017 DFS. The payback period is less than two years.

Capital Expenditure
Preproduction capital costs have decreased from $29.7-million in the 2017 DFS to $27.8-million in the enhanced DFS.

Planned Start/End Date
The construction schedule has not been modified in the enhanced DFS, as commissioning can be achieved 9 to 12 months after project-start funding has been received.

Latest Developments
Walkabout Resources has reported that mine construction is on track.

Yantai Jinpeng Mining Machinery has started with the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract.

The EPC contract includes procurement, manufacture, shipping, erection and commissioning of the process plant. This includes the 840 t/d processing plant from the run-of-mine pad to the bagging and dispatch section; moveable equipment; steel structure buildings; miscellaneous equipment, tools and spares; motor control centres; dry and wet commissioning; and training of Lindi Jumbo’s operations personnel.

Axis Group International has been appointed as company representative in China to oversee the EPC project management.

Meanwhile, earthmoving and civils site works are continuing with a focus on the processing plant construction schedule.

An initiation payment of $1.6-million on the EPC contract will protect the project schedule and allow for work in China to get under way.

The signed EPC contract is a condition precedent for the Lindi Jumbo project loan drawdown.

Site bulk earthworks in Tanzania have started and are focused on the critical site areas that tie in with the EPC and equipment shipment schedule.

Terracing, levelling at the processing plant area, as well as the construction and upgrading of the access and internal roads are progressing well.

The first concrete batch plant has arrived on site and civils contractor TNR will start with the concrete work once the necessary preparatory earthworks have been completed. 

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
TNR (bulk earthworks civil engineering works contract) and Yantai Jinpeng Mining Machinery (EPC) and Axis Group International (EPC oversight).

Contact Details for Project Information
Walkabout Resources, tel +61 8 6298 7500 or email admin@wkt.com.au.