Rafaella Resources Ltd. successfully delivered first production from the fully permitted Santa Comba tungsten project in Spain.
This is the result of a process that began in March
with the safe installation of a pilot plant and first production from high-grade stockpiles left from previous operations dating back to 1985.
The company continues to progress the feasibility study. Metallurgical test-work provided the good news that the ore is highly susceptible to magnetic separation. Delays at the test-lab in the U.K. have led to some slippage in the completion of the feasibility study, however, the additional time is being used to complete important water management studies and to advance discussions with the quarry operator concerning a solution to gain early access to tungsten ore within the quarry permit, the company said.
The improving price of tungsten, the upgrade in the mineral resource estimate, and the exciting metallurgical test-work all indicate a positive enhancement to project economics from those released in the December 2020 prefeasibility study, the company added.
“The successful and safe delivery of the pilot plant, working closely with the authorities to ensure that all permits and approvals were obtained, is a testament to the capabilities of the growing team at site and in Madrid,” Managing Director Steven Turner said. “This is the first real step in bringing the Santa Comba tungsten and tin mine back into production, 36 years from when the underground mine was last commercially operated.”
