Prem16 Dec 2022 19:41
The Pilot Plant
The pilot plant to be commissioned will utilise state of the art sensor-based ore sorting technologies that will facilitate the separation of run-of-mine material into components and in so doing, likely increase available capacity in the flotation recovery circuits, where lithium minerals are recovered. Ultimate production and recoveries are a factor of many variables, and the pilot plant is likely to assist in dealing with these variables due to the inherent flexibility of the use of multiple ore sorters. Stockpiles of tantalum, petalite, and Mica/lepidolite-rich material will facilitate further test work and flow sheet development to ensure that this material is truly inventory for later profitable recovery.
The pilot plant has a nameplate throughput of up to 190 tons per hour, however, it is planned to run at a more conservative 140 tons per hour at inception. At this rate and based on a 3-year life of the pilot plant operations only, excluding plant upgrades, tantalum recovery, petalite production, and any other revenue, a series of sensitivities indicate a robust project and an assurance that Premier will become cash generative from the time of the first shipment.
Acker