Atlas’ successful start

Image Resources (ASX: IMA) has successfully completed three planned shipments of heavy mineral concentrate (HMC) in the June quarter from its WA-based Atlas mineral sands project.

The shipments from the project, located 170km north of Perth, totalled 35kt and had a total booked revenue of around $22m. Atlas is now operating at nameplate capacity, a significant milestone for the project.

Operations at the project commenced in early April this year with the June quarter marking the first quarter of production at Atlas. This follows rapid and successful project commissioning in February and March this year.

Image Resources chief executive and managing director Patrick Mutz says HMC sales for the June quarter remained in line with forecast sales despite early operational challenges.

“Challenges [included] lower heavy mineral recovery and reduced operating availability caused by organic root matter accumulations in the CT1 spirals,” he said.

“To combat these challenges, we implemented our contingency plan to replace the CT1 spirals with conventional spirals and successfully completed the changeout across a planned three-day shutdown in May.

“By the end of the quarter, heavy mineral recovery was restored to forecast levels and nameplate capacity processing rates were effectively achieved.”

All HMC from the shipments was sold under a continuing life-of-mine offtake agreement with Image Resources longstanding offtake partner Shantou Natfort Zirconium and Titanium (Natfort).