EQ Resources installs third TOMRA XRT ore sorter

EQ Resources (ASX:EQR) has installed its third TOMRA XRT ore sorter.

Over the past 12 months of operating and sorting the low-grade stockpile, EQ Resources has seen an average 10% to 12% mass yield from the feed concentrate and has optimised the processing parameters to maximise tungsten recoveries.

Since starting to process the primary ore from the Andy White open pit, an increased mass yield ranging between 15% to 18% have been achieved, with stable tungsten trioxide recoveries above 95%.

Now that the new sorter has been installed, TOMRA technicians are set to arrive on site this week for commissioning.

With the open pit ore deliveries, operations have experienced a higher proportion of material in the sortable fraction, which is an overall benefit to the operation due to the low-cost nature of XRT ore sorting.

The new TOMRA 3 will be situated on the original pilot XRT sorter, TOMRA 1, that will undergo refurbishment works in the coming weeks.

TOMRA 3 has newer programming and increased efficiencies, with the operation expecting to see immediate benefits to production.

EQ Resources chief executive Kevin MacNeill said its great to have another ore sorter on site.

“It’s great to add another TOMRA sorter to our operation, we’re really seeing the effect of the upgraded XRT sorter concentrates in our plant and look forward to bringing on the new machine while we give our initial pilot sorter, TOMRA 1, a refurb and then bring it back into production once we finish the additional engineering required,” he said.