Name of the Project
Uis tin mine Phase 1 expansion project.

Location
Namibia.

Project Owner/s
Tin mining company AfriTin Mining.

Project Description
A definitive feasibility study (DFS) has confirmed the feasibility of expanding the current Phase 1 processing plant, resulting in a 67% increase in tin concentrate production from 720 t/y to 1 200 t/y.

The DFS proposes enhancements to the current processing plant, which will result in a modular expansion of the existing crushing circuit to increase ore throughput by 50%. It also proposes the upgrade of the existing concentrator circuit to accommodate the increased crushed ore feed tonnage and increase the projected overall tin recovery target from the current 60% to 64%.

The detailed upgrades include:

• the addition of a crusher and screen between the primary jaw crusher and the fines crushing section;

• the addition of a buffer stockpile between the crushing and concentrating sections;

• the increase of the water rejection capacity in the dense-medium separation (DMS) 1 section;

• combining the dense-medium circuits of DMS 2 and DMS 3 to improve operability and stability;

• converting the DMS 2 floats recrush circuit into a closed circuit by adding a classification screen;

• additional spirals to reprocess middlings; and

• the relocation of product handling infrastructure and the installation of an additional shaking table for improved processing capacity. The existing shaking tables will be replaced with Holman tables for higher separation efficiency.

The DFS is based on a tin-only basis and currently excludes tantalum and lithium concentrate as potential by-products – these commodities are being investigated by AfriTin’s metallurgical testwork programme.

The Uis mine has proven and probable reserves of 15.61-million tonnes grading 0.14% tin for 21 536 t of contained metal.

Potential Job Creation
The project will be complemented by the appoint­ment of a skilled and experienced project management and construction management team to reduce implementation time and limit project implementation risks.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a net present value of $12.1-million and an internal rate of return of 54%, with a payback of 2.4 years.

Capital Expenditure
The project is estimated at $5.7-million.

Planned Start/End Date
The company aims to complete the expansion by the second quarter of 2022.

Latest Developments
The Uis tin mine has exceeded its targeted nameplate capacity by 12% in the year ended February 28, reflecting strong operational performance.

AfriTin has reported a 70% year-on-year increase in tin concentrate output, at 804 t, for the financial year under review.

Ore processed increased by 55% year-on-year to 543 601 t.

An average plant processing rate of 92 t/h was achieved for the 2022 financial year against a design target of 80 t/h.

CEO Anthony Viljoen says the stellar processing capacity performance comes at an opportune time as tin is averaging record prices of about $45 050/t. AfriTin realised an average tin price of $38 604/t in the reporting year.

He adds that the company’s strong cash and cash equivalents position of $7.3-million at year-end puts it in good stead for rapid deployment of growth initiatives, including expansive exploration; metallurgical testwork on by-product extraction, specifically lithium; and development of regional mining licence areas.

The bulk of civil construction and steel fabrication works at the project’s Phase 1 expansion have been completed, with on-site steel construction ramping up. The project’s construction will be completed in the third quarter of the current financial year.

Meanwhile, the exploration drilling programme under way on the Uis V1/V2 pegmatite orebody aims to increase the resource classification for lithium and tantalum over the areas where tin is already classified, within the measured and indicated categories.

The results of this programme, which has seen 1 674 m of drilling since its start in the third quarter of the 2021 financial year, are expected before September 2022.  

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Minxcon (DFS).

Contact Details for Project Information
AfriTin Mining, tel +27 11 268 6555.