Name of the Project
Swanson tantalum/lithium project.
Location
Karas region, southern Namibia.
Project Owner/s
Arcadia Minerals’ 80% interest in the project is set to dilute to 49.6%, subject to construction funding of not less than $7-million being expended by Hebei Construction in return for an equity interest of 38%.
Project Description
The project involves the opencast mining of the D-pegmatite and E F-pegmatite deposits, primary and secondary contractor crushing and screening, a spiral concentrator plant, dry stacking of the spiral tailings and mine waste, as well as associated bulk infrastructure supply and other services normally associated with opencast mining in Southern Africa.
The project’s feasibility study envisages a life-of-mine, at a run-of-mine (RoM) production rate of 12 500 t a month, of eight years.
The spiral plant will process secondary crushed stockpile material with a top size of 25 mm to beneficiate 143 520 t/y RoM at a head grade of 487 parts per million tantalum pentoxide.
Potential Job Creation
Not stated.
Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an after-tax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of A$15.36-million and an internal rate of return of 25.4%, with a payback of 3.2 years.
Capital Expenditure
A$14.79-million.
Planned Start/End Date
Construction on the project started in July 2023.
Latest Developments
Arcadia reported in February 2024 that construction of the access road from the nearest traversable road to the Swanson processing site had been completed and that construction of the ore supply road was ongoing.
It also noted that the final designs for the water pipeline were expected to be completed shortly, with construction expected to start in the second quarter of 2024 along with the installation of the powerline and the construction of the servitude road.
Arcadia further reported that site preparation had started at the Swanson plant and that civil works were expected to start in the first quarter of 2024.
Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.
Contact Details for Project Information
Arcadia Minerals, tel +61 8 6158 9990 or email info@arcadiaminerals.global.