Tantalex Lithium Resources (CSE:TTX, OTC:TTLXF) announced it had successfully produced the first batch of tin and tantalum concentrates from its TiTan alluvial plant in Manono.
The TiTan plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has a designed capacity of 130 tonnes per hour.
The plant processed 10 tons of high-grade industrial tin concentrates and 2.5 tons of tantalum concentrates, according to a statement from Tantalex.
The TiTan plant’s production is fully traceable and aligns with Responsible Minerals Initiative principles for the responsible sourcing of critical materials, Tantalex noted, making it highly sought after in the market.
Outputs from TiTan are part of a strategic offtake agreement with AfriMet Resources Ag.
“With our current Optimization program underway, I am extremely confident that we will reach our production targets in the very near term,” Hadley Natus, Tantalex’s chairman said in a statement.
Tantalex said that continuous optimization measures are underway at the site to achieve optimal production capacity. Presently, the plant is operating at approximately 50 tons per hour for an average of eight hours per day. The company aims to increase this to 130 tons per hour, running 16 hours per day within the next three months. Measures to achieve this include the shipping of a new scrubber trommel and an increase in the water supply to the plant.
Separately, Tantalex announced an extension of the maturity date of the Convertible Debenture with AfriMet. Initially set to mature on July 10, 2023, the date was first extended to January 10, 2024, and now, following a second extension, the maturity date is January 10, 2025. The interest rate is set to increase to 12.5% starting January 11, 2024, until maturity.
