First Tin (LON:1SN) reports ongoing mineral processing testwork for the Definitive Feasibility Study at its Taronga Tin Project in Australia continues to show improved recoveries.
The project is owned by First Tin’s 100% owned Australian subsidiary Taronga Mines.
Results of the crushing testwork for the LG sample (0.10% Sn head grade) have shown that conventional crushing recovers 72.5% of tin into 46.5% of mass grading 0.16% Sn in the minus 2.8mm fraction.
The results also show single pass vertical shaft impact (VSI) crushing of the plus 2.8mm fraction from the above conventional crushing, recovers an additional 11.7% of tin into 11.0% of the initial mass, grading 0.08% Sn, to the minus 2.8mm fraction.
By combining the two minus 2.8mm fractions, First Tin says a total of 84.2% of the initial tin is recovered to 57.5% of the initial mass with a grade increase from 0.10% Sn to 0.15% Sn. This is an improvement from the 82% recovery previously reported on 18 September 2023 for the HG sample (0.18% Sn).
First Tin adds gravity concentration result for the bulk LG sample previously reported on 7 March 2024 was 71.5%.
Given these results, a second HG bulk sample has been collected (HG2, head grade 0.15% Sn) will be tested using the refined testwork flowsheet used for the LG sample. This includes classification prior to spiral concentration and improved locked cycle crushing and tabling.
First Tin CEO Bill Scotting says the results build on the company’s existing knowledge of the mineral processing characteristics of the Taronga tin deposit gained from work undertaken over the past 40 years.
“Achieving a 60% overall recovery rate for the LG material closely aligns with the data obtained by Newmont, substantially de-risking the project by demonstrating that recoveries are good for this below average grade material,” he says.
“If the gravity results from the second high grade sample are shown to be similar to those obtained for the LG sample, the overall recovery for the deposit will be significantly better, positively bolstering the project’s economics. We look forward to the upcoming results.”
Tin is a critical but often forgotten clean energy metal, as reported by Mining.com.au. A global decarbonised future of electric transportation and renewable power grids, relies on circuit boards which require significant amounts of solder, and therefore tin.
Yet 97% of global tin supply is from emerging and developing economies.
First Tin is a fast-developing, LSE Main Market-listed mining and development company which produces sustainable, ethical, and reliable tin in conflict-free, low political risk jurisdictions, to support the current global clean energy and technological revolutions, with an ethos to “leave no trace” on the environment.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: First Tin
