Name of the Project
Uis Phase 2 expansion project.

Location
Namibia.

Project Owner/s
AfriTin Mining.

Project Description
The historical Uis mine was owned and operated by Iscor between 1958 and 1991 as a tin mine.

The Uis project comprises a total non-Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant mining reserve (provided for guidance purposes only) of 134-million tonnes of ore, which could result in a mine life of 14 years. The mining plan features a production rate of ten-million tonnes a year of run-of-mine (RoM) ore at an average overburden stripping ratio of 2.6.

AfriTin has set out to re-establish the Uis operation in two phases. Phase 1 is a low-capital, cash-generating initial production facility serving as a pilot for Phase 2, which is planned as a scaled-up version of the initial phase and the beneficiation process may involve dry crushing of the RoM ore and using sensor-based ore sorting once confirmed through testwork.

The preconcentrates from this process could then be treated through various wet concentration circuits to produce saleable concentrates. The tin and tantalum minerals could be preconcentrated using X-ray transmission ore sorting and concentrated through dense-media separation (DMS), gravity separation and magnetic separation. The lithium mineral petalite could be preconcentrated through near-infrared ore sorting, concentrated through DMS and cleaned through milling and flotation.

Mining will comprise conventional openpit methods using low-carbon truck-and-excavator combinations, and is planned to be conducted over multiple pegmatite orebodies from four to five pits concurrently. A zero effluent plant is planned to include dewatering systems for all concentrate and discard streams to aim for maximum water conservation and eliminate the need for tailings dams.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an after-tax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $2.1-billion and an internal rate of return of 75%, with a payback of 1.5 years.

Capital Expenditure
Initial capital expenditure is estimated at $440-million, including a 30% contingency.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Twenty-seven of the 50 infill drilling holes at the main V1/V2 pegmatite that Uis has completed have yielded significant V1/V2 pegmatite intersections, including 132 m at 0.168% tin, 75 parts per million (ppm) tantalum and 0.74% lithium oxide for drill hole V1V2049, from 124 m to 256 m; and 110 m at 0.171% tin, 92 ppm tantalum and 0.75% lithium oxide for drill hole V1V2057, from 92 m to 202 m.

Notable intersections of lithium mineralisation within the pegmatite include 8 m at 1.08% lithium for drill hole V1V2036, from 140 m to 148 m; 10 m at 1.05% lithium for drill hole V1V2045, from 136 m to 146 m; 12 m at 0.99% lithium for drill hole V1V2049, from 231 m to 243 m; and 45 m at 1.04% lithium for drill hole V1V2057, from 136 m to 181 m.

While the V1/V2 pegmatite displays impressive dimensions and is open-ended at depth, a multitude of surrounding pegmatites present significant upside potential, AfriTin has reported.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
AfriTin Mining, email info@afritinmining.com.
Tavistock, on behalf of Afritin Mining, tel +44 (0) 207 920 3150 or email afritin@tavistock.co.uk.