EQ Resources (ASX:EQR) has begun water transfer activities at the Barruecopardo Tungsten Project in Spain, transferring water from the lower pit into the newly constructed Northern In-Pit Sump.
The company describes this milestone as a “key operational step” for advancing operations to re-establish access to phase five in the lower pit and higher grade ore feed for processing.
Phase five comprises around 1.03 million tonnes of planned ore holding an average grade of 0.187% tungsten trioxide.
Around 84,968m3 of water is still held in the pit currently. EQ Resources will transfer 68,968m3 of water to re-establish access to phase five.
The Northern In-Pit Sump has the capacity to hold around 120,000m3, following the completion of construction.
The maximum installed pumping capacity is around 300m3, which will equate to around 6,840m3 each day utilising 95% availability.
Approximately 1.03 million tonnes of planned ore will be pumped in phase five, containing 192,758 MTUs at an average grade of 0.187% tungsten trioxide.
Phase five ore is expected to be available for processing plant feed from the end of the month.
Managing Director Craig Bradshaw says the beginning of pumping into the Northern In-Pit Sump is a “practical operational step to re-establish access to ore in this area of the Barruecopardo open pit”.
“Once completed, this work is expected to support continued higher grade ore supply to the processing plant as part of the site’s ongoing operating plan,” Bradshaw says.
EQ Resources is a global tungsten mining company focused on sustainable mining and processing practices with assets in Australia and Spain.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: EQ Resources
