Arcadia Resources aims to start producing tantalum at its Swanson Mining Project in Namibia in the first quarter of 2025.
The Swanson Mining Project is just 15km from the Orange River in the Karas Region.
Arcadia’s subsidiary Orange River Pegmatite (Pty) Ltd owns the EPL 5047.
Tantalum is primarily used in medical devices because it is resistant to corrosion.
According to a quarterly activities report ending 30 September 2023, Arcadia expects the tantalum mining project currently under construction to be in production by the first quarter of 2025.
The report says Arcadia conducted fieldwork over EPL 5047 and EPL 7295 during the quarter, taking 48 rock chip samples over eight outcropping pegmatites of the more than 200 known pegmatites.
Arcadia also says it aims to complete the road to the Swanson mine and finalise the order placement of all outstanding plant equipment.
Arcadia CEO Philip le Roux says they are encouraged by identifying a significant number of mineralised pegmatites due to our teams’ fieldwork.
“Of particular interest is the elevated levels of Tantalum mineralisation near our Swanson Tantalum mining project and the great number of Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum pegmatites identified through fieldwork where we’ve covered only a small proportion of the ground available to us.
“Our work will now focus on determining the geometry of the mineralised pegmatites, the extent of mineralisation, and to possibly discover more mineralised pegmatites to prioritise drill targets,” he says.
Arcadia executive chairperson Jurie Wessels expressed satisfaction with the company’s partner, Hebei Construction, is making to advance the Swanson Tantalute-Lithium project towards production.
“Since inking our deal with Hebei, construction has already commenced, and work is accelerating on-site and around equipment receipt/order.
“Roads are already being constructed at the site, and earthworks around the plant location will commence shortly.
“Equipment such as the jaw crusher, cone crusher, feeder, screen and conveyors have been ordered or are en route. Long lead items such as the drilling machine, ball mill and crushers have also been ordered. The balance of equipment, particularly the MGS plant equipment, is expected to be finalised before the end of November,” Wessels says.
Swanson Mine is one of the projects Arcadia owns in Namibia through subsidiaries.
The Nickel–Copper-Platinum Group Elements (PGE) holds rights in the Kum Kum Intrusive Suite that comprises two EPLs, 6940 and EPL 7295 and 5047.
The Karibib Project, 45km south of Karibib town, is owned by Goas Pegmatite Exploration (Pty) Ltd (Goas) through its EPL 4663, which covers some 40 986 ha.
Brines Mining Exploration Namibia (Pty) Ltd owns the Bitterwasser Project in the Hardap Region, approximately 190 km southsoutheast of the capital Windhoek.
The Bitterwasser Project comprises four exclusive exploration licenses, EPLs 7614, 8101, 8102, and 8103.
Arcadia will explore the Bitterwasser Brines Project for lithium-in-brines through sonic drilling and expects to conduct a pre-economic assessment for the Bitterwasser Clays Project.
The company says it will explore further the Karibib Project through a scout drilling and trenching program.
