Andrada Mining, a producer of tin, tantalum, and lithium, has reported strong operational improvements at its Uis mine in Namibia for the first quarter of its 2026 financial year, which ended on May 31.
The company attributed these gains to ongoing enhancements under its Continuous Improvement 2 (CI2) programme, including upgrades to the dense media separation (DMS) circuit and the installation of new shaking tables.
CEO Anthony Viljoen highlighted that these modifications have led to higher processing rates and increased tin production, underscoring improved operational efficiency and reliability.
“Production of our increasingly valuable byproduct, tantalum, also improved significantly, reinforcing our position as a multi-mineral producer,” Viljoen said in a statement on June 6.
“Operational costs were better managed across the board due to proactive cost-reduction initiatives that are expected to boost cashflows throughout the year.
We also completed a group-wide corporate restructuring aimed at streamlining our cost base and enhancing profitability.”
Tin Ore Processing: Uis processed 254,745 tonnes of tin ore during the quarter, marking a 7% year-on-year and 4% quarter-on-quarter increase.
Processing throughput rose to an average of 142 tonnes per hour—up 6% compared to the same period last year—driven by efficiency improvements under the CI2 programme.
Feed Grade and Production: The average tin feed grade was 0.136%, 4% lower year-on-year due to the use of blended ore, but 2% higher than in the previous quarter.
Despite the slightly lower grade, increased ore throughput led to an 11% year-on-year and 7% quarter-on-quarter rise in tin concentrate output, reaching 405 tonnes.
Contained Tin Output: Tin content in concentrate rose 2% year-on-year to 238 tonnes, up from 233 tonnes.
The plant utilization rate also improved to 93%, up from 90% in the prior year, thanks to reduced maintenance downtime and further CI2-led efficiency gains.
Construction of a new jig plant is progressing well, with the front-end crushing circuit delivered to the site and fabrication of key components underway.
Viljoen confirmed that civil works are complete, with initial production from the new facility targeted for the second half of 2025.
Progress was also made on the pre-concentration circuit, with Metso crushers and ore sorters delivered and the construction design finalized.
Installation and commissioning will follow, as Andrada continues re-engineering efforts to optimize the front-end of its processing plant.
Tantalum production saw a marked improvement, aided by higher feed grades and the reprocessing of off-spec material.
A total of 12.1 tonnes of saleable tantalum concentrate was produced in Q1 FY2026, up from 8.6 tonnes in the same period last year. Of this, 10 tonnes were shipped to offtake partner AfriMet.
On the lithium front, significant progress was made at the Lithium Ridge project. Following the establishment of a joint development committee with SQM Australia—under the earn-in agreement with Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile—the workplan and budget for Stage 1 development were finalized.
This triggered the release of a $7 million funding facility to support drilling and exploration activities, which began in May.
Senior leadership from both Andrada and SQM visited the site to reinforce their strategic partnership and commitment to advancing the project.
Viljoen noted that commercial discussions with potential offtakers are ongoing, despite current market challenges.
Operational cost performance improved quarter-on-quarter, driven by increased production volumes and tight cost controls.
While a 3% rise in C2 costs was attributed to a higher tin royalty rate during the period, this was partially offset by stronger revenue.
The company realized an average tin price of $32,993 per tonne, up from $30,839 per tonne in Q1 FY2025.
Cost-reduction initiatives are being implemented across all operations and are expected to support stronger cashflows as the year progresses.
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