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Wolf reports progress in ramping up to full production at Drakelands

Wolf Minerals reports progress in ramping up to full production at its Drakelands tungsten/tin open-pit mine. In the September quarter, the plant processed a record 505,414t of ore to produce almost 30,000t of concentrate, also a record.

The Drakelands mine, which commenced production in September 2015, has struggled to reach planned production rates owing to the failure of certain equipment in the plant and poor recoveries due to the ore being finer than expected.

The company has extended the trial period for 24/7 operations through to the end of November and has applied to Devon County Council for permission to operate permanently on this basis. Wolf has also applied to extend the mine’s planning permission from 2021 to 2036 and a decision on this is expected by the end of the year.

Wolf continues to work with GR Engineering Services (GRES) to rectify problems with recoveries in the plant but cautions that it may only be in the first half of 2017 before all improvements are complete and the performance can be assessed.

Elsewhere on the site, the company is looking at ways to reduce low frequency noise from the plant; is monitoring the impact of blasting felt by local residents; is on schedule with construction of a new £7.5m section of the Lee Moor road and has cut the number of trucks transporting waste to the Mining Waste Facility after good progress throughout the summer months.

At the end of the quarter the company had cash of A$5.2m and has arranged a £20m bridging loan from its principal shareholder, RCF (see 24 October news).

QuotedData’s mining analyst will be visiting the mine on 8 November to report first-hand on progress.

Wolf reports progress in ramping up to full production at Drakelands: WLFE

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