Kanyika samples analysis starts in China

Globe Metals and Mining, an Australian-listed mining firm exploring for niobium at Kanyika in Mzimba, says the mine’s metallurgical pilot plant has started operations at the Guangzhou Research Institute for Non-Ferrous Metals (GZRINM).

In a shareholder newsletter for June 2014, the company said all is progressing well through circuit optimisation.

“The Kanyika concentrator pilot plant has commenced with commissioning, commencing later than planned due to a previous client’s pilot campaign only finishing in May. The late commencement was utilised by undertaking further bench-scale testing to improve plant commissioning,” said the company in a newsletter.

Early this year, the company announced that it had completed the bulk sampling campaign at Kanyika where 40 tonnes samples were collected, crushed and sent to China for further analysis.

The mining firm said that in light of the later than anticipated start of the programme, pilot plant testing is now scheduled to be completed in the third quarter (Q3,) (July to September) 2014 with reports and testing data to be issued at completion.

Meanwhile, the company said it has completed a mapping and rock chip sampling programme at the Chimutu Prospect within the Chiziro Graphite Project, situated northeast of Lilongwe.

“The assays of the 40 rock chip samples collected during the exploration programme conducted during March and April 2014 have been completed and the results are considered encouraging,” said the company.

Globe Metals reported that two of the 40 samples assayed greater than 10 percent total graphitic carbon (TGC) with one sample assaying a high of 52.5 percent TGC.