Syrymbet Mining, part of the Almaty-based Lancaster Group, is to develop a large-scale tin project in northern Kazakstan, starting with a two-year large scale pilot plan operation later this year. The orebody could eventually support a 7,000 tpy Sn mine, using chlorine leaching to extract tin and several co-products.
Proven and probable reserves are 11 million tonnes grading 0.9% tin (98,500 tonnes contained tin). Ore is to be mined by a mix of open pit and underground mining. Ore treatment will be by a hydrometallurgical approach developed by a local research institute. This would allow recovery of amorphous silica, alumina and iron ore as co-products.
There are some 80,000 tonnes of ore stockpiled and the plan is to build a 50,000 tpy large pilot plant to treat this, with potential tin production of 340 tpy. The plant is due to be ready by early fall. After two years the aim is to go to full-scale production at 1 M tpy ore, or 6 – 7,000 tpy Sn.
