EQ Resources (ASX:EQR), which is the 100% owner of the Mt Carbine Tungsten Mine near Cairns, has installed its third TOMRA XRT Ore Sorter.
Over the past 12 months of operating and sorting the low-grade stockpile (LGS), EQ Resources has seen an average 10-12% mass yield from the feed to concentrate and has optimised the processing parameters to maximise tungsten recoveries.
The company, which will present at the Noosa Mining Investor Conference on 19 July 2023, says since starting to process the primary ore from the Andy White Open Pit an increased mass yield ranging between 15-18% have been achieved, with stable WO3 recoveries above 95%.
TOMRA technicians are set to arrive on site this week for commissioning now the new sorter has been installed.
With the open pit ore deliveries, EQ Resources reports the operations have experienced a higher proportion of material in the sortable fraction, which is an overall benefit to the operation due to the low-cost nature of XRT Ore Sorting.
“we’re really seeing the effect of the upgraded XRT Sorter concentrates in our plant and look forward to bringing on the new machine”
The new TOMRA 3 will be put in place of the original Pilot XRT Sorter (TOMRA 1) that is on site, which will undergo refurbishment works in the coming weeks. The company says the TOMRA 3 has newer programming and increased efficiencies, therefore the operation is expected to deliver immediate benefits to production.
Addressing the installation, EQ Resources CEO Kevin MacNeill says: “It’s great to add another TOMRA Sorter to our operation, we’re really seeing the effect of the upgraded XRT Sorter concentrates in our plant and look forward to bringing on the new machine while we give our initial pilot sorter, TOMRA 1, a refurb and then bring it back into production once we finish the additional engineering required.”
EQ Resources is an ASX-listed company transforming its flagship tungsten assets at Mt Carbine in North Queensland, is leveraging advanced technology, historical stockpiles, and unexploited resource with the aim of being the pre-eminent tungsten producer in Australia.
The company also holds gold exploration licences in New South Wales.
