Walkabout Resources start commissioning activities at Lindi Jumbo
Walkabout Resources has kicked off commissioning activities at the Lindi Jumbo Graphite Mine in Tanzania with the expectation of contributing to Tanzania’s mineral production and economic development.
The commissioning process is a crucial step toward achieving full operational status. It involves pre-commissioning, dry commissioning, and wet commissioning phases. The staged commissioning schedule progresses through various plant circuits, including crushing, grinding and flotation, filtration and drying, screening, and bagging.
Safety standards
A team of specialists and operational staff has been mobilized for commissioning. Safety, reliability, and competence are emphasized during the commissioning and start-up processes. Detailed pre-commissioning activities involve inspecting and confirming various components such as working parts, bearings, idlers, cabling, wiring, emergency stops, pump and motor specifications, conveyor installation, MCC connections, safety guards, and necessary modifications.
Delays in the delivery of crucial electrical components have affected wet commissioning. The full 5 MW grid power capacity, including backup generators, is expected to be available once all components are installed. Dry commissioning of the front end of the crushing circuit has started. High-grade graphitic ore will be used for wet commissioning. Other equipment installation, including Rotox screens and burners, is ongoing. The Lindi Jumbo plant will be formally commissioned when it runs at its nameplate capacity for a continuous 48-hour period.
The CEO, Andrew Cunningham, expresses confidence in the commissioning process and praises the construction team and contractors. Successful commissioning and first graphite production are expected in Q1 2024.
