Andrada Mining Limited has reported a significant increase in tungsten grades at its Brandberg West Project, with feed material grades rising from as low as 0.24% to 1.45% in concentrate, while tin and copper also showed notable improvements.
The company said testwork conducted on nine samples from historical waste and previously mined material delivered strong increases in metal grades across tungsten, tin and copper.
High recovery rates were recorded, with tungsten recoveries reaching up to 91% and tin up to 94%. The results also showed a 90% reduction in material mass through sensor-based ore sorting, a development expected to lower processing costs and accelerate the project’s path to production.
“These results represent an important validation milestone in highlighting the economic potential of tungsten as a key critical metal at the Brandberg West project, particularly against a backdrop of exceptionally strong commodity prices. The grades achieved in this testwork on the historically mined waste dumps are significantly higher than the global average for tungsten deposits, with corresponding high recovery rates,” said Chief Executive Officer Anthony Viljoen.
The testwork forms part of a broader phased assessment programme, which includes evaluating tailings, waste material and future exploration drilling. The company said the ability to extract value from surface waste could shorten development timelines, as the material is already accessible in large volumes.
Using X-ray transmission (XRT) sorting technology, Andrada was able to separate mineralised material from waste efficiently, confirming the project’s suitability for modern ore sorting techniques and its potential to produce a high-value polymetallic concentrate.
Further bulk testwork is planned to provide more representative results, as the initial samples were limited in size and may not fully reflect overall deposit grades.
The Brandberg West Project is being advanced under a staged earn-in agreement with ACAM LP affiliate BWCAM Limited, which could invest up to N$838 million (US$51 million) for a stake of up to 49% in the project. The current phase focuses on assessing both historical waste streams and hard rock material within the existing mining area.
