Despite persistent and substantial shipping delays, commissioning of the Lindi Jumbo project – a new graphite mine in Tanzania – is progressing according to plan, Walkabout Resources MD And CEO Andrew Cunningham reported on Wednesday.

The ASX-listed company has experienced delays with freight discharge at Dar es Salaam, but the last of the essential mechanical and electrical equipment necessary to start wet commissioning of the entire processing circuit has been received on site.

A number of smaller consignments are still to be delivered to site and are either still en route or at outer anchorage in Dar es Salaam. These include the back-up generators and larger orders of consumables.

In the event that further port delays ensue, Walkabout plans to use readily available mobile generating capacity to react to a grid power interruption and conduct an orderly plant shutdown. This will enable the project team to run and test the entire processing circuit with minimal risk.

In terms of the consumables, smaller orders have been placed with alternative African suppliers as a backup. These are being transported via road and are expected to arrive well in advance of startup.

The project achieved the first feed of graphite ore through the crushing circuit in early January and is now gearing up to feed first ore through the entire mine processing circuit within the next month.

“I am proud of how our team and contractors have navigated the construction process as we transition to full operational readiness. To date, the commissioning of the completed processing circuits has gone to plan and I am confident that we are on track to start feeding high-grade graphite ore through the entire circuit within the next month,” said Cunnigham.

Once commissioning activities are finalised, the Lindi Jumbo mine will officially be the first modern, large-scale graphite mine in Tanzania, as well as the first critical minerals asset in the country to go into full production.