May 7 2008
Ausmelt Ltd has signed an agreement with Bluestone Mines Tasmania
Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Metals X Ltd , to undertake the basic engineering design of the tin fuming furnace as part of the Rentails project.
The agreement follows a series of successful trials conducted at Ausmeltís pilot plant in Dandenong, Melbourne.
The basic engineering stage of the work will be completed as an integral part of the Rentails project feasibility study currently being prepared by Bluestone Mines Tasmania.
Ausmelt believes its top submerged lance (ìTSLî) smelting technology is the worldís most cost-effective technology for tin production and is already being used successfully in Peru and China, with a new plant in Bolivia now under design.
Subject to a successful and timely conclusion to the feasibility study, it is envisaged that the Metals X may consider the purchase and installation of an Ausmelt furnace for its Rentails Project at the Renison site in Tasmania. If Metals X decides to run with Ausmelt TSL technology it would look to smelt about 75,000 tonnes per year of low-grade tin concentrates to produce a high-grade tin oxide fume product for sale or further refining.