|
Kenmare Resources PLC on Thursday said it has started work to connect two new dredges and the feed preparation unit to wet concentrator plant A in an upgrade project. The Mozambique-focused producer of titanium minerals and zircon is upgrading its largest mining plant at the Moma titanium minerals mine in northern Mozambique, ahead of its transition to the Nataka ore zone. Nataka is the largest ore zone in Moma’s portfolio, and represents around 70% of its mineral resources. Wet concentrator plant A will mine in Nataka for the remainder of its economic life, Kenmare Resources noted, which is expected to exceed 20 years. It said the ore in Nataka contains higher levels of slimes which can impact feed and recovery rates if they are not managed properly. The company is upgrading wet concentrator plant A with two new, high-capacity dredges and a feed preparation module to manage slimes and increase mining rates. The capital cost estimate of the wet concentrator plant A upgrade project and transition to Nataka remains at $341 million, Kenmare Resources said, including a new tailings storage facility and infrastructure in Nataka. It continues to expect around 80% of the capital to be incurred and deployed by the end of 2025. The two new dredges arrived in July, while the new feed preparation module was assembled in the staging pod before the pond was flooded in August. The new dredges and feed preparation module were successfully floated in early September. Wet concentrator plant A has paused production for an estimated three to four weeks to allow the existing dredges and feed preparation module to be detached and replaced by the new equipment. Kenmare said the production pause was included in its 2025 guidance, which it remains on track to meet. It expects wet concentrator plant A to be operating at a capacity of 3,500 tonnes per hour by the end of 2025. Wet concentrator plant A will complete its mine path in Namalope in the second quarter of 2026 and will begin its transition to Nataka from late in the second quarter, which is expected to take around 18 months. ‘We’re pleased to announce that work has started to connect the two new dredges and the new feed preparation unit to WCP A. This upgrade work will enable WCP A to mine successfully in the large Nataka ore zone, which is the key to Moma’s future production,’ said Chief Operations Officer Ben Baxter. ‘Our projects team and experienced contractors have planned this work meticulously and we are focused on executing it safely, on time and on budget.’ Shares in Kenmare Resources were up 1.1% at 317.50 pence in London on Thursday morning. Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
|
