First Tin PLC has announced new mineral processing testwork results at its Taronga Tin Project in Australia, indicating better recoveries than previously reported in the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS). The testwork revealed a crushing recovery of 91.2% of contained tin, a coarse gravity circuit recovery of 82.9% of gravity feed tin, and an end-to-end recovery of 75.6% tin to a 66.7% Sn concentrate. These results are significantly higher than those used in the DFS. The company's CEO, Bill Scotting, expressed that the results are encouraging and confirm the treatable and upgrading nature of the Taronga mineralization.
The testwork involved a bulk sample with an average grade of 0.15% Sn, slightly higher than the proposed average grade of mineralization to be processed at Taronga (0.13% Sn). The coarse gravity circuit concentration recovery of 82.9% is notably higher than the previously reported 71.5% recovery from a low-grade sample. Additionally, recovery of an additional 4.0% of starting tin to a 71.4% Sn concentrate was obtained from a second pass through the VSI followed by coarse gravity circuit processing, indicating the potential value of adding a second VSI to the circuit.
The company also reported a 4.5% recovery of starting tin to a 14.0% Sn concentrate by initial testwork on a fine tin circuit, suggesting potential additional recovery. The testwork results have led to the proposal of collecting more samples to repeat the work and confirm the excellent recoveries. The detailed testwork procedures and results were provided, including the process involved in the coarse gravity tin circuit and the second pass VSI, which showed a recovery of 97.2% of the starting tin in the main sample.
Overall, the testwork results demonstrate the potential for higher recoveries and the value of modifications to the current process plant design. The company plans to further assess the improved recovery by assaying the tail streams and investigate the potential addition of a fine tin circuit at a later stage.