JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – First production at ASX-listed Avenira’s Baobab phosphate project, in Senegal, is expected in a few weeks.
The company on Thursday reported that it had reached another milestone at the 80%-owned project, with the start of commissioning of its wet plant. “If progress continues to the current plan, we anticipate producing the first saleable product in the next few weeks. It has been an exceptional outcome to advance the project as quickly as we have,” MD Cliff Lawrenson said in a statement.
The project is being developed in an initial Stage 1 operation, producing 500 000 t/y of phosphate concentrate. Under close geological supervision, phosphate mineralisation has already been uncovered on the western side of the Stage 1 openpit.
This was consistent with the geological model derived from air core and diamond drill logging and sampling and it is expected that primary grade control will be visual.
Total capital expenditure to production will be $15-million, with the project being fully funded.
Mined mineralisation is now being stockpiled on the run-of-mine stockpile adjacent to the processing facilities. Over the coming weeks, mining and grade control methodology will be optimised to increase mining efficiency, while reducing dilution and any mineralisation loss.