W Resources PLC (LON:WRES) has almost completed construction of the expanded ore processing system at its La Parrilla tungsten and tin mine in Spain, where mining is already up and running.
Construction of the large scale concentrator plant at La Parrilla, which has an estimated resource of 49mln tonnes of tungsten trioxide (WO3) and which has produced more than 3,500 tonnes of pre-concentrate so far, is “imminent” and will begin commissioning next month, the company said on Friday.
WATCH: W Resources firmly focused on La Parrilla ramp up to design capacity
The fully automated crushing circuit is already operational but the larger concentrator is part of the full ramp-up of the site, which aims to process 200 tonnes per month by the end of 2019.
The new concentrator is comprised of three buildings, with the spirals and shaking-table buildings both complete, and the final piece being a third floatation magnetic and electrostatic separation building, which is “on track” for construction completion next week.
It will become operational once the motor control centre (MCC) is installed, with delivery pencilled in for mid-July.
La Parrilla’s ore processing jig and mill are “proceeding well” since going live, with the jig upgrading crushed ore grades and rejecting waste mass, with pre-concentrate being trucked to the existing concentrator, in line with previous guidance for July of 20 tonnes of WO3 concentrate.
Chairman Michael Masterman said completion of the spiral and shaking table buildings was “an important milestone” and the on-site priority was now completing electrical cabling for the MCC.
Shares in the company were up 1.2% to 0.44p on Friday morning.