RNS 01/11/218 Mar 2022 12:49
Régua is a high-grade, development-ready tungsten project with low capital cost and an updated Joint Ore Reserves Committee compliant mineral resource of 4.47 Mt at a grade of 0.27% WO3, including an indicated resource of 3.74 Mt at a grade of 0.28% WO3 (circa three times that of the ore grade at La Parrilla) and an inferred resource of 0.72 Mt at a grade of 0.21% WO3, which was completed by Golder Associates Pty Ltd and announced on 5 February 2020.
Trial mining operations at Régua commenced in early March 2020 with the commencement of the first two adits, with skarn ore zones intersected in the initial development. However, progress was halted following an extension in Portugal of COVID-19 related restrictions, which have now been lifted and the expiry of the trial mine licence in June 2021.
Plant design and procurement activities were near completion in advance of construction activities which had to be rescheduled until the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and the mining licence awarded.
Assuming no further COVID-19 impacts, production is anticipated to commence in H2 2022, with annual production estimated to reach circa 1,000 tonnes of tungsten concentrate per annum, increasing W's total concentrate production, reducing average costs per tonne and increasing sales.