Construction advances at Zim Tungsten mine

The fabrication of the process plant for Aim-listed Premier African Minerals’ 49%-owned RHA tungsten project, in Zimbabwe, is expected to be completed by the end of May.

The majority of the plant components had been delivered to Appropriate Process Technologies (APT), in Johannesburg, with the main outstanding component being the cone crusher.“The manufacturer has undertaken that this component will be on time,” the multicommodity natural resource company said on Tuesday.

Detailed planning was also under way for the transportation of the components from APT by the end of May.

Meanwhile, the miner said that earthworks and civil works were currently on the “critical path” and were scheduled for completion by mid-May, while infrastructure development, including power and water supply and reticulation, was also under way, with 50% of the piping completed.

The generators would be ready for shipping early in May and construction of the buildings had also started.

Development of the openpit mining area was, meanwhile, on schedule, with waste stripping under way and the first run-of-mine ore stockpiled. Mine planning and grade control procedures were being finalised in advance of production.

“The most gratifying event happening right now is the exposure of the mineralised lodes in the developing pit, as predicted in our resource model and the stockpiling of ore,” CEO George Roach commented.