UK-listed Andrada Mining has reported the first lithium concentrate production from its pilot plant, which was commissioned last month at its Uis lithium project in Namibia.
Located next to the main tin processing plant at Uis mine, the pilot plant has produced ten tonnes (t) of concentrate so far.
Andrada expects that the monthly production could reach up to 250t by the end of March 2024.
However, the initial objective is to produce sufficient bulk samples of petalite concentrate within specifications to supply to premium specialist glass and ceramics markets.
The company is producing concentrate for metallurgical test work to find out appropriate specifications for the lithium battery market. This will be followed by producing concentrate to be sold commercially on the spot market.
It is estimated that the petalite concentrate could fetch between $1,600 and $2,200 per tonne in the current spot market.
