PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Rare earths miner Lynas has increased its September quarter production by 76%, as the Lynas materials handling plant (LAMP) improvement programme came into effect.
During the first quarter of the 2014 financial year, Lynas produced 253 t of rare-earth oxides, and shipped 218 t of material, an increase of 86% on the previous quarter.
Lynas stated on Thursday that production would build through the December quarter, with a target of completing the improvement work at the plant in Malaysia by the end of 2013.
The miner launched a series of work programmes involving equipment changes and materials handing to improve the capability of the cracking and leaching units of Phase 1 of Lamp.
The remaining work programmes in leaching were continuing as scheduled and Lynas was achieving improved operational performance in the cracking and leaching units at Lamp.
Construction and precommissioning activities for the Phase 2 expansion of Lamp to 22 000 t/y of rare-earth oxide were also completed during the quarter. Following the receipt of pending regulatory approvals of completion, the operations were scheduled to start in November.
The use of the additional Phase 2 capacity would be determined by various factors, including the market conditions.
Meanwhile, commissioning and ramp-up of the Phase 2 concentration plant at the Western Australian operations continued during the quarter, and the project operated at over 80% of design capacity.
Lynas noted that the plant would continue to operate on a campaign basis until demand from Lamp ramped-up and concentrate stocks ran down.
At the end of the first quarter, 18 425 t of concentrate, containing 6 724 t of rare-earth oxides, was bagged and ready for export.