Tomra commissioning28 Sep 2024 12:00
We had some nice photos of the material from Blesberg which Tomra is sorting out back end of August
https://x.com/JB_MiningAfrica/status/1830493633637708156?t=gxaod9CCUdfxKAcfF-kt_g&s=19
We then have the RNS 23rd September stating:
"This test work has confirmed the ability to separate the various Blesberg ores including the spodumene, feldspars, coltan, mica, lepidolite, quartz, garnet and waste rock"
I then uploaded the images of sorted rock from the tweet and asked chat gpt to analyse. I got this result:
Thank you for providing the images. Although I cannot analyze the specific mineral content from the images alone, I can give a rough visual assessment based on the general appearance of the rocks.
In the left image:
Darker rocks may suggest the presence of waste rock, coltan (if present in the form of dark, dense mineral), or even mica.
Brownish and weathered textures might indicate the presence of mica, feldspars, or waste rock.
Metallic or shiny surfaces (if visible) might be from mica, or possibly coltan.
In the right image:
White, pink, and light-colored rocks are often indicative of quartz, feldspars, and lepidolite. Lepidolite is usually purplish-pink, so these colors might suggest its presence.
Light green or white streaks could indicate spodumene or quartz.
Pink or lavender hues could signal lepidolite, which has a distinct purple color in some cases.
Darker inclusions might be mica or garnet, depending on the specifics of the formation.
Potential Rough Estimate (based solely on visual observation):
Left Image: Likely more waste rock, mica, and possibly coltan.
Waste rock: ~50-60%
Mica/Feldspars: ~20-30%
Coltan (if applicable): ~5-10%
Other minerals (spodumene, quartz, garnet): ~10-15%
Right Image: Likely contains more quartz, lepidolite, and feldspar.
Quartz/Feldspars: ~40-50%
Lepidolite (if purple parts are accurate): ~20-30%
Spodumene: ~10-20%
Mica: ~5-10%
Waste rock or garnet: ~10%
This is only a rough estimation, and more precise identification and percentage breakdown would require proper mineralogical testing, like X-ray diffraction (XRD) or chemical assays.
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