Group 6 Metals (ASX:G6M) has ramped up construction activities at the company’s wholly owned Dolphin Tungsten Mine (DTM) located on King Island in Tasmania.
The company reports that works at DTM have rapidly increased pace over the past 6-8 weeks with significant progress achieved in key areas of construction.
Group 6 has made substantial progress on the installation of the crushing, screening and material handling equipment and associated supporting structures, with mechanical installation substantially complete and electrical installation commenced. The main process building is mostly complete, and installation of internal equipment has commenced.
The company is also undertaking planning activities to mobilise a drill rig to King Island in early November, to conduct a drill program comprising 3-4 diamond core holes to test the western margin of the Grassy Granite, north of the Investigator 21 Prospect.
Commenting on the progress of works, Group 6 Metals Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Keith McKnight said: “Major civil works have now been completed, which has opened additional areas for Gekko Systems to accelerate mechanical and electrical installation works for the process plant in preparation for commissioning in early 2023.
The mechanical installation of the crushers, screening equipment and associated conveyors are substantially complete and electrical installation has commenced. Erection of the main process building has been completed, ready for installation of the gantry crane and electrical fit out.
Construction has commenced on stage one of the Tailing Storage Facility with installation of the clean water diversion drains and foundation works for the walls. The TSF access roads and walls are being constructed from rock mined from inside the open cut pit shell, which is an efficient use of material which would otherwise be mined as part of the mining sequence.
“Works are also progressing well on other mine infrastructure areas such as the process water treatment facility, diesel power station, workshop, site office and tailings pumping”
Works are also progressing well on other mine infrastructure areas such as the process water treatment facility, diesel power station, workshop, site office and tailings pumping.
Our site team and contractors continue to work in an efficient and safe manner with the project achieving 273 lost time incident free days to the end of September in challenging construction conditions through the winter months. Longer and warmer days will be welcomed with the onset of summer, which will benefit the project greatly as we progress to construction completion, commissioning and first concentrate in March 2023.”
Construction of the process plant is progressing well with substantial completion of the civil works and a significant increase in mechanical equipment installation activities. With most of the OEM equipment delivered to site, the Gekko Systems team will progress the works for the remainder of the year in preparation for commissioning in early 2023.
Construction works at the TSF have progressed since reporting last, with installation of the diversion and base drains completed, and commencement of construction of the TSF walls.
The TSF is being constructed on the historic TSF site, minimising disturbance to virgin vegetation, and using materials that are being reclaimed from within the proposed mine open cut pit shell.
Group 6, previously known as King Island Scheelite Limited (ASX: KIS), is an Australian
resources exploration and development company. The company’s name honours tungsten as Group 6 Metals’ first commodity project (the Dolphin Mine) under development, as tungsten is a member of Group 6 of the periodic table along with chromium and molybdenum, as well as being a critical mineral and a geopolitically strategic resource.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Group 6 Metals Limited
