Name of the Project
Uis tin project.
Location
The Uis project consists of three project areas in the Erongo region of Namibia.
Project Owner/s
London Aim-listed tin mining company AfriTin Mining.
Project Description
AfriTin has undertaken a detailed mine design for the V1 and V2 pegmatite bodies, previously identified as priority targets, to supply feed to the new intermediary processing plant.
The design of the proposed tin mine includes an initial five-year mine production schedule to start operations on the outcropping pegmatite bodies and existing excavations of the historical V1 and V2 pits.
This in-house mine plan supports an overburden stripping ratio (overburden-to-ore) of less than one and a fast ramp-up profile using conventional openpit mining methods.
Material will be liberated using drill-and-blast methods, while excavators and articulated dump trucks will be used to load and haul the ore.
The run-of-mine feed to the processing plant for this phase of development (Phase 1) is planned at 500 000 t/y, with expected production of 800 t/y of saleable tin concentrate. The target for Phase 2 is 5 000 t/y of tin concentrate.
Phase 1 of the pilot plant is designed to deliver early positive cash flows while demonstrating the feasibility of a much larger second-phase mine development on Uis’ multicommodity deposit.
The processing plant will be located close to the V1 and V2 pegmatite orebodies.
Other potentially viable metals include tantalum, niobium, lithium, beryllium and muscovite.
Potential Job Creation
AfriTin is recruiting operational personnel, with about one-third of the total planned complement of 90 people having been appointed, including the management team.
Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.
Capital Expenditure
Not stated.
Planned Start /End Date
The first production of saleable tin concentrate was achieved in August 2019.
The mine has been steadily ramping up production to above steady-state capacity, reaching nameplate capacity in November 2020.
Latest Developments
AfriTin Mining is proceeding with a metallurgical testwork programme to investigate the by-product potential of ancillary metals at its Uis tin mine.
The Uis mine’s 2012 Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant mineral resource estimate includes ancillary metals, with an inventory of 6 091 t of contained tantalum and 450 265 t of contained lithium oxide, grading at 85 ppm tantalum and 0.63% lithium oxide respectively.
Testwork for a tantalum concentrate is at an advanced stage, while lithium oxide concentrate testwork is progressing to a second stage.
Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
MRI (buying station).
Contact Details for Project Information
AfriTin Mining, tel +27 11 268 6555.