AfriTin Mining Ltd (LON:ATM) said it is advancing a metallurgical testing programme designed to investigate the potential production of tantalum and lithium as by-products from its tin project at Uis.
The Uis tin mine is known to contain an estimated 6,091 tonnes of tantalum and 450,265 tonnes of lithium oxide (Li 2 O).
Major Li 2 O intersections include 86.51 metres grading at 1.22% Li 2 O and 109.32 metres with an average grade of 0.97%.
Test work for a tantalum concentrate is at an advanced stage. Li 2 O concentrate test work is progressing to a second stage.
"Following the achievement of nameplate tin concentrate production in November 2020, the Uis Tin Mine has exceeded production forecasts,” said Anthony Viljoen, chief executive of AfriTin Mining Ltd.
“This provides the ideal platform for our metallurgical test work programme to investigate the potential of two major by-products, namely lithium oxide and tantalum. Successful implementation of by-product streams may significantly increase our profit margin and allow us to realise the goal of positioning the company in the lowest quartile of the world tin producer cost curve."
The operation at Uis is built around a measured, indicated and inferred mineral resource estimate totalling 71.54mln tonnes of ore containing 95,539 tonnes of tin metal at a grade of 0.134% tin.