PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Mineral sands miner Base Resources has flagged higher output expectations from its Kwale mineral sands operation, in Kenya, for the full 2020.
The ASX-listed company on Monday announced that the guidance for rutile production for the full year has now been adjusted to between 75 000 t and 81 000 t, up from the previous estimate of between 64 000 t and 70 000 oz.
Ilmenite production for the full year has also been upwardly revised from between 315 000 t and 350 000 t, to between 335 000 t and 355 000 t, while zircon production has been increased from between 25 000 t and 28 000 t, to between 29 000 t and 32 000 t.
Base told shareholders that since mining started at the South Dune orebody, in July of last year, the company had encountered higher rutile and marginally lower ilmenite than expected in the mineral assemblage, with zircon largely as forecast.
In addition, due to the mineral characteristics of the South Dune ore, separation efficiency has improved, when compared with the Central Dune ore, and recoveries for all products in the mineral separation plant are higher, particularly for rutile and zircon.