Cadence Minerals plc has completed refurbishment of the Azteca processing plant ahead of commissioning, at the Amapá iron ore project in northeast Brazil.
Eight finished plant systems – comprising the hopper/feed system, transfer conveyor, screen, process tank, magnetic-separation circuit, piping, spiral concentrator and electrical system – had no safety incidents recorded.
Cold commissioning is planned to start next week, which involves testing the equipment, electrical distribution and control systems without ore. Wet commissioning will follow with process water and trial material going through the wet circuit.
Cadence said that hot commissioning would then begin, subject to completion of regulatory approval, using limited processing of run-of-mine material, to tune plant grade and recovery, with any concentrate produced to be stockpiled.
Commercial operations and shipments remain subject to successful commissioning and award of an operating licence for Azteca.
Chief executive officer Kiran Morzaria added: “We will progress sequentially through cold, wet and hot commissioning, identifying and resolving issues as they arise.
“Azteca is intended to establish the first production and cash-flow platform at Amapá. Successful delivery would move the project from refurbishment into operations and support the wider redevelopment strategy.”
(Image: machine mill by clickerhappy from Pixabay)