Tantalex Lithium Resources says its TiTan tin and tantalum project, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has closed on its tender for the production of 1 400 t/y of tin concentrate for two years.
Metals and minerals trading company AfriMet Resources – part of the Vanomet group of companies – will buy up to 2 400 t of tin concentrate from Tantalex over 24 months, in exchange for a $3-million working capital facility.
Tantalex says construction works at TiTan are ongoing, with production to start in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, the company has begun a reverse circulation drilling campaign on the south-west portion of the Pegmatite Corridor, also in the DRC. The programme will continue throughout the year.
In addition, Tantalex says consulting engineering firm NovoPro is proceeding with a preliminary economic assessment (PEA). Conclusion of the PEA could enable Tantalex to move to the prefeasibility stage later this year.
Further, Tantalex highlights that the second stage of metallurgical test work by mineral processing companies Coremet and Sepro Systems is expected to clarify the process and flow sheet required to produce the targeted 100 000 t of spodumene concentratess.
The company says work is ongoing with regard to the economical extraction of the lower-grade feedstock, and that it aims to increase the maiden mineral resource estimate of 12.1-million tons.
Tantalex has several goals for the year ahead. These include completing a PEA of the Manono tailings project, closing the funding for the prefeasibility study of the Manono tailings project, producing tin and tantalum concentrates from the TiTan project, further drilling and development of the Pegmatite Corridor and securing the support of strategic investors of the Manono tailings project.
