In an interview with Bloomberg, Metals X CEO Peter Cook said that production from the company’s joint-venture Renison mine in Tasmania could rise to around 8,000 tonnes in 2015, while a decision on a tailings treatment project was due in six months. The ownership of the mine is split 50:50 with YT Parksong Australia Holding and unaudited production in calendar 2014 was recently reported by one of the Chinese partners at 6,887 tonnes.
The increase in 2015 results from better grades and re-investment in the mine and infrastructure in the past three to five years, Cook said. Malaysia Smelting Corp. takes about 75% of the output with the rest going to Thailand Smelting & Refining Co., he said.
The company is looking to develop the Rentails project, which will produce some 5,000 tpy of tin-in-concentrate at a cost of A$14,000/tonne, according to Cook. Metals X will know in six months whether its partners agree to help fund it and plant construction would take 12 months, he said.
