Marula Mining on Track for Blesberg Lithium-Tantalum Mine Expansion Completion in Q1 2024
Expansion and Equipment Installation at Blesberg
Marula Mining is advancing its expansion project at the Blesberg Lithium and Tantalum Mine. The company is installing new equipment to enhance ore handling capacity, with an aim to produce up to 5,000 tonnes per month of high-grade lithium ferrite products. This production will utilize stockpiled material from historical mining activities and is part of the development plans for a larger hard rock open pit operation set to commence in January 2023.
Construction and Testing of Ore Sorter
The construction of the Rados SRF100-8 ore sorter in South Africa has been completed, and plant acceptance testing has been successfully carried out. The ore sorter is expected to arrive on-site in Blesberg by mid-December 2023, with commissioning scheduled for the end of that month. In parallel, Tomra’s COM XRT 1200 South African ore sorter material is being tested in Blesberg, with its onsite commissioning slated for completion by the end of January 2024.
Project Management by Erudite Strategies Limited
Erudite Strategies Limited, a South African metallurgical and mineral processing group, has been appointed as the Project Manager to oversee the Blesberg expansion. Their role includes overseeing the installation and commissioning of the expansion process plant and XRF ore sorter, as well as optimizing the mineral process design to include Rados and Tomra sorting technology, new primary crushing and screening circuits, and a mica extraction and bagging plant.
Objective of Expansion and Operational Improvements
The expansion aims to enhance operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and maximize recovery of high-value lithium pyroxene. This includes the installation and commissioning of the XRF ore sorter and new crushing and screening circuits.
Timeline and Civil Works
Civil and concrete works are currently in progress at the Blesberg site. The commissioning of the expanded processing plant is on schedule to be completed in the first quarter of 2024, aligning with the planned increase in mining activity.
