17 October
2024
Premier African Minerals
Limited
Zulu Lithium Plant
Update
The Board of Premier African
Minerals Limited ("Premier"
or the "Company") is
pleased to provide this update on the plant status and next steps
to recommence production at Zulu Lithium and Tantalum
("Zulu").
Status of operations at Zulu
Test work reports now submitted by
Enprotec, and further supported by independent work undertaken by
the supplier of the reagents used to float Spodumene from Zulu
ore, indicate that inconsistent grade and
recovery in the Spodumene flotation plant are primarily due to
inadequate reagent dosing in the flotation circuit and excessive
residence time in the Spodumene cleaning circuit. Adjustments to
the reagent dosing should enhance selectivity in the flotation
process, while reducing the residence time in the cleaning circuits
should minimize the flotation of gangue minerals.
The proposed adjustments will
consist of fabricated inserts within the cleaning stages that will
reduce the volume of each cleaner respectively. These adjustments
will align the residence times more closely with the test work
which produced the best results for Spodumene grade and recovery.
Designs for the inserts is complete and fabrication will commence
as soon as possible. The direct cost for the inserts is less than
US$50,000 and the time to fabricate is estimated at roughly 6
weeks.
As previously advised, the Company
has a further fall-back position in the recommendations made
following the engagement of Chinese Engineering, Procurement and
Construction Management ("EPCM
Contractor") as an alternative remedial strategy to the
floatation plant. The strategy recommended by EPCM Contractor
involves the supply of a complete spodumene flotation plant based
on similar technology to that in extensive use elsewhere. The
Company considers that the option discussed above related to
inserts to the existing float cells is of sufficiently low cost and
short time to support this option immediately. The EPCM Contractor
option remains and may still be considered as part of the near-term
plans to increase production at Zulu.
At the same time, it should be noted
that the Company has engaged other reagent suppliers to
continuously review and if indicated recommend alternative reagent
regimes. The Company previously reported on several options for the
future of Zulu, all of which remain under consideration, and due
diligence is being undertaken by potentially interested parties. As
the Company cannot rely on any single outcome this strongly
supports the decision to proceed with Enprotec's advice on the
plant, irrespective of the outcome of these strategic
initiatives.
Shareholders should note that the
effectiveness of the measures referred to above will only be known
as and when the Zulu plant is fully commissioned and brought into
commercial production, the timing of which continues to be
uncertain.
George Roach, CEO commented"
With this progress on the plant, and the recently notified updated
resource estimate, Premier and its shareholders should be looking
at the immediate future with much more confidence. "
The information contained within
this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside
information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU)
No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("UK MAR").
The person who arranged the release
of this announcement on behalf of the Company was George
Roach.
A copy of this announcement is
available at the Company's website, www.premierafricanminerals.com
ENPROTEC
Enprotec have reviewed and approved
this release to the extent that reference is made to the flotation
plant. Enprotec is a Multi-disciplinary Engineering Applications
Group that Offers End-to-end Solutions to the Mining & Mineral
Processing Industry. Enprotec aim to extract ore optimally and
derive tangible value for its clients from their operations while
eliminating environmental risks. Enprotec is a global partner in
the mineral processing industry, offering a diverse range of
solutions and technologies.
Enprotec involvement in Zulu was
originally under the engagement and direction of Stark. Following
Zulu's engineering team taking over as the operator of the Zulu
plant, Enprotec have agreed to provide such support as requested by
Zulu as may be required in the continuing optimisation, remedy and
improvement of the Stark designed flotation plant.
Enquiries:
George Roach
|
Premier African Minerals Limited
|
Tel: +27 (0) 100 201 281
|
Michael Cornish / Roland Cornish
|
Beaumont Cornish Limited
(Nominated Adviser)
|
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7628 3396
|
Douglas Crippen
|
CMC
Markets UK Plc
|
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3003 8632
|
Toby Gibbs/Rachel Goldstein
|
Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited
|
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7408 4090
|
Important notice
Beaumont Cornish Limited
("Beaumont Cornish"), which
is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial
Conduct Authority, is acting as nominated adviser to the Company in
connection with this announcement and will not regard any other
person as its client and will not be responsible to anyone else for
providing the protections afforded to the clients of Beaumont
Cornish or for providing advice in relation to such proposals.
Beaumont Cornish has not authorised the contents of, or any part
of, this document and no liability whatsoever is accepted by
Beaumont Cornish for the accuracy of any information or opinions
contained in this document or for the omission of any information.
Beaumont Cornish as nominated adviser to the Company owes certain
responsibilities to the London Stock Exchange which are not owed to
the Company, the Directors, Shareholders, or any other
person.
Forward
Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are or
may be deemed to be forward looking statements. Forward looking
statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as
''believe'' ''could'' "should" ''envisage'' ''estimate'' ''intend''
''may'' ''plan'' ''will'' or the negative of those variations or
comparable expressions including references to assumptions. These
forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but
rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions
regarding the Company's future growth results of operations
performance future capital and other expenditures (including the
amount. Nature and sources of funding thereof) competitive
advantages business prospects and opportunities. Such forward
looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs and
assumptions and are based on information currently available to the
Directors. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ
materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking
statements including risks associated with vulnerability to general
economic and business conditions competition environmental and
other regulatory changes actions by governmental authorities the
availability of capital markets reliance on key personnel uninsured
and underinsured losses and other factors many of which are beyond
the control of the Company. Although any forward-looking statements
contained in this announcement are based upon what the Directors
believe to be reasonable assumptions. The Company cannot assure
investors that actual results will be consistent with such forward
looking statements.
Glossary
|
"Stark"
|
The Zulu design, procurement, installation, and commissioning
contractor, Stark International Projects
Limited.
|
Notes to
Editors:
Premier African Minerals Limited (AIM: PREM) is
a multi-commodity mining and natural resource development company
focused on Southern Africa with its RHA Tungsten and Zulu Lithium
projects in Zimbabwe.
The Company has a diverse portfolio of
projects, which include tungsten, rare earth elements, lithium and
tantalum in Zimbabwe and lithium and gold in Mozambique,
encompassing brownfield projects with near-term production
potential to grass-roots exploration. The Company has accepted a
share offer by Vortex Limited ("Vortex") for the exchange of
Premier's entire 4.8% interest in Circum Minerals Limited
("Circum"), the owners of the Danakil Potash Project in Ethiopia,
for a 13.1% interest in the enlarged share capital of Vortex.
Vortex has an interest of 36.7% in Circum.
Ends