Walkabout Resources Ltd (ASX:WKT, FRA:N6D) is on track with its mine construction schedule at the wholly-owned Lindi Jumbo Graphite Mine in south-eastern Tanzania.
The company has initiated a second material project development agreement for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of the Lindi Jumbo Graphite Process Plant with Yantai Jinpeng Mining and Machinery Co Limited.
A mobilisation payment of about US$1.6 million has been approved by the independent project manager and CRDB Bank in Tanzania.
Furthermore, Axis Group International has been appointed as company representative in China overseeing EPC project management including QA/QC and loading supervision.
“Strategic network of delivery partners”
Walkabout Resources CEO Andrew Cunningham said: “Despite constructing a mine in a time when travel is restricted, our strategic network of delivery partners including our longstanding working relationship with Jinpeng has ensured Walkabout is in an agile position to meet agreed development targets.
“Not only does Jinpeng understand Lindi Jumbo through their close involvement in the front-end engineering and flowsheet design of the processing plant, Axis Group mitigates any potential risk acting on our behalf during the QA and loading stages.
“We are pleased to partner with such an experienced manufacturer of graphite processing plants as we set up for production from this standout graphite deposit.
“During the past week on site, I have been inspecting site bulk earthworks together with the executive team of our civils contractor, TNR.
“The progress being made is aligned with our construction schedule and am confident that the progress of Lindi Jumbo is in good hands.”
Terracing and levelling of the processing plant area.
EPC contract
The EPC contract includes procurement, manufacture, shipping, erection and commissioning of the process plant including but not limited to:
- The 840 tonnes per day processing plant from Run of Mine (ROM) pad to the bagging and dispatch section;
- Moveable equipment;
- Steel structure buildings;
- Miscellaneous equipment, tools and spares;
- Motor Control Centre’s (MCC’s);
- Dry and wet commissioning; and
- Training of Lindi Jumbo’s operations personnel
Appointment of Axis Group
With the current global travel restrictions in place, management is not able to attend and oversee the manufacture of the plant in Yantai.
Walkabout has signed a contract with Axis Group International to act as the Lindi Jumbo representative in Jinpeng - China for overall project scheduling and management, quality management (QA/QC, inspection, loading supervision, etc) and expediting including packaging and loading supervision.
Axis Group has recent experience in working with Jinpeng on other African projects and the company is leveraging this experience which includes the shipment of equipment from Jinpeng to Tanzania.
Site bulk earthworks
Water borehole monitoring on site.
Site bulk earthworks have begun and are focused on the critical site areas that tie in with the EPC and equipment shipment schedule.
Terracing and levelling at the processing plant area and the construction and upgrading of the access and internal roads are progressing well.
Notably, the first concrete batch plant has arrived on site and the civil contractor (TNR) will commence with the concrete work once the necessary preparatory earthworks have been completed.
In addition,baseline monitoring and sampling of the water-borefield has been ongoing for several years with the extraction permit being approved by the Tanzanian waterboard.
Furthermore, pumping facilities will now be installed at the fully equipped borefield to enable the extraction of water for construction and later commissioning activities.