The London-listed minerals processing firm Tri-Star Resources announced that its antimony-gold processing facility in the Sohar Free Zone, in which it has around 40 per cent stake, has started production.

In a statement posted on its website, the company said, ‘Tri-Star Resources is pleased to announce that Strategic & Precious Metals Processing LLC (SPMP), owner of an antimony-gold processing facility in the Sohar Free Zone, located in the Sultanate of Oman, has produced its first antimony metal.’

Adrian Collins, chairman of Tri-Star, said in the statement, “The production of antimony is a milestone in the history of SPMP and Tri-Star. We believe the project is coming to fruition and I would like to congratulate the SPMP team for the work that they have done over the last nine months in overcoming the significant technical issues faced. I look forward to updating the market as the ramp up of antimony production progresses, production of gold ore increases and the true value potential of the SPMP project materialises.”

Tri-Star has around 40 per cent shareholding in SPMP with the other joint venture partners being Oman Investment Fund (OIF) with a 40 per cent equity, while the remaining 20 per cent is held by DNR Industries Ltd, a part of Dubai-based Dutco Group.

‘Following the completion of the remedial works to one of the two SPMP antimony smelting furnaces (RF1) and the installation of a new gas cooling solution, first antimony has been produced at a purity of 98 per cent.  As production increases, this is expected to rise to in excess of 99.65 per cent, the level required for commercial sale,’ the company said in the statement.

The statement further revealed that with the process proven, SPMP intends to begin the immediate ramp up of production with and to commence replicating the successful remedial works conducted at RF1 at the second furnace (RF2) to reach full production during 2020.

‘The board is confident about the demand fundamentals of antimony and looks forward to the ramp up and commercial sales,’ the statement said.

The SPMP plant is the largest antimony roaster outside of China and the world’s first ‘clean plant’, designed to EU environmental standards. It has a targeted capacity to produce in excess of 50,000oz of gold and 20,000 tonnes in combined antimony metal and antimony trioxide per annum.

 

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