First Tin PLC, a tin development company with projects in Germany and Australia, has announced that new mineral processing tests at its Taronga Tin Project in Australia show better recovery rates than those previously reported in the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS).
Key highlights include:
- Crushing recovery: 91.2% of contained tin.
- Coarse gravity circuit recovery: 82.9% of gravity feed tin.
- End-to-end recovery: 75.6% tin to a 66.7% Sn concentrate.
The latest test results surpass previous figures reported on April 25, 2024, which combined conventional and first-pass vertical shaft impact (VSI) crushing. These results are based on a high-grade bulk sample with a head grade of 0.15% Sn, compared to earlier results from a lower-grade sample with a head grade of 0.10% Sn.
Further testing revealed an additional 4.0% recovery of tin to a 71.4% Sn concentrate from a second pass through the VSI, suggesting potential improvements with the addition of a second VSI to the processing circuit. Initial fine tin circuit tests also showed a 4.5% recovery of tin to a 14.0% Sn concentrate, indicating potential for future enhancements.
First Tin CEO Bill Scotting expressed optimism about the results, stating that the improved recoveries confirm the treatability of Taronga’s mineralization. He noted that the new data suggests higher potential recoveries with minor adjustments to the processing plant design and plans to collect more samples to verify these results.