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- Alara Resources (ASX:AUQ) recently began turning on the power at its Oman-based copper project
- The hot commissioning process continues to roll on
- Alara has provided a further update today
- Shares last traded at 3.6 cents
Alara Resources (ASX:AUQ) has provided an update on the progress of its copper processing plant in Oman.
The company has produced finely ground concentrate cakes in its first week of live testing.
The Al Wash-hi Majazza copper project plant is part of a JV between Alara’s local subsidiary and another partner.
The company has gone into detail on what exactly is happening on-site, pushing shares in the junior up nearly 10 per cent in the first hour of trades.
Grinding circuits have been turned on and continue to eat up crushed rock feed with downstream flotation circuits also being tested out.
Tailings are being generated live and dewatering circuits have been tested with a full load of material.
In short: the plant seems like it’s working as intended.
Notably, the low-cost automation aspect also appears it could be a goer. The works are currently being “carried out remotely” through controllers.
One hiccup: “A technical issue was encountered [with the] tailings filter press.”
That issue appears to be tied in with the remote controllers and the company’s techies are now on-site detecting the issue.
“The project team expects to commence a feed of low-grade copper ore (0.4-0.6 per cent) to the circuit on or before 25th February,” Alara announced.
While copper prices have fallen off their COVID-borne highs, the price of the electrification metal hasn’t cratered anywhere near as bad as lithium and its other counterparts.
AUQ shares last traded at 3.6 cents.
