Chronicle Editor
Acting Business Editor
MINING and natural resource development company Premier African Minerals has in recent weeks been installing key plant components at its Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project in Fort Rixon.
Visuals from the mine’s social media platforms show a Hydro Classifier and UV ore sorter in the process of being installed by the contractor responsible for the design and construction of the plant, Stark Resources.
In June, the mining entity issued a force majeure notice to China’s Canmax Technologies citing unforeseen operational hurdles encountered at its Zulu Lithium plant in Fort Rixon, Matabeleland South province.
Force majeure is a common clause in contracts that essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance is beyond the control of the parties.
The plant, which recently commenced production of spodumene concentrate is not able to produce sufficient spodumene to meet the conditions of its off-take agreement with Canmax.
In a recent update, Premier said an additional conventional mill will be added to the circuit and this will allow the plant to reach, or possibly exceed the design throughput.
“At the same time that step one is in process, Stark Resources will install the secondary UV-based ore sorters that are expected to increase the grade of ore delivered to the milling section, which according to Stark Resources, should result in substantial improvements in ore grade and both quality and quantity of concentrate.
” With immediate availability of the sizer and the simultaneous delivery of the UV sorters, the decision has been taken to substantially reduce production and proceed with the installation of these components immediately,” reads part of the notice.
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