JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – African Tantalum has sent its third shipment of high-purity tantalum from the Namibia tantalite investment mine (NTI) to its customer, a global North American tantalum consumer and end-user of tantalum ore, with a fourth shipment currently being tested by a third party before being sent.
Aftan, which is a subsidiary of Aim-listed Kennedy Ventures, further highlighted that drilling had started on two exploration campaigns in the Homestead and Lepidolite locations to evaluate further resource potential around the NTI mine.
Over 400 m have been completed, with cores being cut and organised to be sent out to ALS Laboratories before the year end. Aftan has employed a second geologist, experienced in exploration, for to aid this programme.
In line with its production requirements defined by its customer, Aftan would continue to upgrade the NTI mine with the successful installation of a dam under the thickener to capture water from the mine’s cyclone, recirculated back into the system.
Aftan has also installed larger slurry pumps with improved wear casings and impellors which will continue improving the mine’s run time efficiency and through put.
Bulk diesel tanks have also been installed with first diesel delivery expected before year end, while the company added two more boreholes, additional pumps, solar panels and two 60 000 l dams to the plant, which will be installed in the near future.
As Aftan continues to consider future-proofing the mine and meeting its production ramp-up schedule, it has contracted a third party environmental expert to start the process of achieving certified rights to bring water from the Orange river as well as to establish certification to move potentially hazardous materials.