Battery metals miner Marula Mining has received all necessary export permits and approvals in Tanzania to ship 10 kg of copper ore samples to South Africa for metallurgical testwork and assays.

The samples were garnered from the Kinusi No. 4 openpit at the Kinusi copper mine, in Tanzania.

The company expects to deliver the metallurgical assay results in coming weeks, while the metallurgical testwork results are expected in the first quarter of next year.

The company continues with openpit mining activity at the site, with high-grade copper ores being stockpiled ahead of planned initial trial shipments and sales, which are due to be shipped by December 31.

Finalisation of these initial trial shipments of up to 1 000 t and deliveries into the international export markets to four global commodity trading groups will be completed once assay results are received for the samples.

Meanwhile, the testwork in South Africa will include testing for material hardness, bond work index and particle size distribution, which will optimise the design of the Phase 1 gravity concentrate, coarse jigging and fines dewatering circuit that is targeted to produce 24 000 t/y of high-grade copper concentrate.

Initial hydrometallurgy chemistry testwork, copper leach kinetic tests, and heap leaching polymer screening and column tests are also planned as part of the design work for the planned Phase 2 hydrometallurgy fines optimised heap leaching circuit, copper solvent extraction, as well as electrowinning refining process to produce up to 10 200 t/y of copper cathode.

The results from the metallurgical testwork and design optimisation work on the Phase 1 processing circuit will then allow the company to proceed with the award of a £1.4-million Phase 1 contract for the installation and commissioning of the gravity concentrate, coarse jigging and fines dewatering circuit during the first quarter of next year.

The assay results will also be used in finalisation of the key commercial terms of the first trial shipments and sales of copper concentrates, which the company is looking to commence in the current quarter.

CEO Jason Brewer comments the company’s focus remains on advancing Kinusi's mining and processing operations in line with its two-phase development plan, while meeting its timeline for the initial trial shipments and sales.

"The ongoing developments underscore Marula's commitment to creating value for its stakeholders through efficient project execution and robust revenue-generating opportunities.

"Further updates on the assay results, trial shipments, processing plant contracts, and offtake agreements will be provided as developments continue to progress at the Kinusi mine.”