Battery metals miner Marula Mining has secured the necessary export permits and approvals in Tanzania to ship 10 kg of copper ore samples to South Africa for metallurgical testwork and assays.
The samples were collected from the Kinusi No. 4 openpit at the Kinusi copper mine in Tanzania. Marula Mining expects to receive metallurgical assay results in the coming weeks, with testwork results anticipated by the first quarter of next year.
Mining operations continue at the site, with high-grade copper ores being stockpiled in preparation for initial trial shipments and sales, which are scheduled for shipment by December 31.
The company plans to complete the first trial shipments of up to 1,000 tons to four global commodity trading groups once the assay results for the samples are received.
The testwork in South Africa will include assessing material hardness, bond work index, and particle size distribution, aiming to optimize the design of the Phase 1 processing circuit.
This circuit will focus on gravity concentration, coarse jigging, and fines dewatering, with a target production of 24,000 tons per year of high-grade copper concentrate.
Additionally, initial hydrometallurgical chemistry tests, copper leach kinetics, and heap leaching polymer screening are planned for Phase 2, which will focus on optimising heap leaching and refining processes to produce up to 10,200 tons per year of copper cathode.
The results from the metallurgical testwork will help finalize the £1.4 million Phase 1 contract for the installation and commissioning of the Phase 1 processing circuit, with work expected to begin in the first quarter of next year.
CEO Jason Brewer emphasized the company’s focus on advancing Kinusi’s mining and processing operations according to its two-phase development plan, aiming to meet its timeline for the trial shipments and sales.
“The ongoing developments reflect Marula’s commitment to creating value for stakeholders through efficient project execution and strong revenue opportunities,” Brewer said. “Further updates on assay results, trial shipments, processing plant contracts, and offtake agreements will be provided as progress continues at the Kinusi mine.”
