PERTH (miningweekly.com) – South Africa-focused platinum dump retreater Sylvania Resources lifted its production by 22% to 8 294 oz in the March quarter, compared with the December quarter's 6 807 oz.

The ASX- and Aim-listed company boosted its revenue by 26% to R66-million in the three-month period, as platinum prices strengthened and production at its Millsell and Steelpoort operations improved.

The Millsell operation, on the western limb of the Bushveld Complex, produced 2 407 oz from 32 315 t of platinum group metals (PGMs) ore feed.

Sylvania said in a statement that the favourable results from Millsell was mainly owing to improved plant availability, increased head grades, mining of the inner core of the main dump, and increased fines to the PGMs plant.

Head grade at the operation increased from 2,53 g/t in the previous quarter, to 2,72 g/t, with an average recovery of 40,4%.

At the Steelpoort operation, on the eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex, production jumped to 3 343 oz, which was an increase of more than 1 000 oz from the previous quarter. Float recoveries increased by 53%, which was 20% higher than the previous quarter.

The nearby Lannex operation produced a total of 1 425 oz, from an average head grade of 2,23 g/t.

Sylvania noted that operations at Lannex have been temporarily suspended, pending the final approvals for the constructions of the new tailings facility.

The junior miner has reassigned the work force to the Steelpoort and Doornbosch operations until Lannex was recommissioned.

The environmental approval for the new tailings facility has been received, and Sylvania noted that once the water permit and permission from the South African Department of Mineral Resources have been received, construction of the tailings plant would start.

The final approvals were expected to be obtained shortly, and once received, the plant would ramp up to its full design capacity of 70 000 t/m of ore feed.

The platinum miner reported that the Mooinooi operations were still in the commissioning phase, and ramping up to full design capacity, with the key focus on improving plant uptime, increasing recoveries and the production of a consistent grade of concentrate.

A total of 802 oz was produced during the March quarter, and Sylvania said that the low production was owing to low PGMs grade and poor recovery from the outer walls of the tailings.

As processing moved toward the inner core of the dump, the grades would consistently increase, the miner said.

The Mooinooi run-of-mine (ROM) section is still under construction, and is scheduled for commissioning in July. It was anticipated that when the ROM materials were processed, recovery and grade would improve owing to the larger percentage of un-oxidised feed that would dilute the outer-core oxidised dump material.

Meanwhile, cold commissioning of the Doornbosch operation was scheduled for May, while the first slurry through the plant would take place in June.

Sylvania has spent a total of R12-million on construction activities during the quarter, and a total of R92-million to date on the Doornbosch project.

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