Walkabout Resources has provided an update on recent activities and contracts it has awarded to progress its 100 per cent owned Lindi Jumbo Graphite Project in South East Tanzania.
Lindi Jumbo Limited, a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of Walkabout Resources, has commenced an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with Yantai Jinpeng Mining and Machinery Co. Limited (Jinpeng) for the Lindi Jumbo Graphite Process Plant in Yantai, China.
Jinpeng – a medium-sized private manufacturing and construction engineering business with approximately 400 employees based in Yantai – is experienced in building graphite processing plants both locally and internationally. The company also procured and manufactured the long-lead items as part of the Early Start contract completed in 2019.
The new EPC contract includes the procurement, manufacture, shipping, erection and commissioning of the process plant including but not limited to:
- The 840 tonne per day (tpd) processing plant from Run of Mine (ROM) pad to the bagging and dispatch section;
- Moveable equipment;
- Steel structure buildings;
- Miscellaneous equipment, tools and spares;
- Motor Control Centres (MCCs);
- Dry and wet commissioning; and
- Training of Lindi Jumbo’s operations personnel.
While the EPC contract has been activated, Lindi Jumbo Limited is working with Jinpeng on a number of minor contractual details such as mandatory Tanzanian insurances and shipping. Once settled a final EPC contract will be finalised.
Appointment of Axis Group International
With the current global travel restrictions in place, Walkabout Resources states that management are not able to attend and oversee the manufacture of the plant in Yantai.
As such, the company has signed a contract with Axis Group International to act as a company representative in China overseeing EPC project management including QA/QC, inspection and loading supervision.
Axis Group has previous experience working with Jinpeng on other projects.
Siteworks in Tanzania
Furthermore, Walkabout Resources advises that site earthworks have commenced in Tanzania and are focused on the critical site areas that tie in with the EPC and equipment shipment schedule.
Terracing, levelling at the processing plant area and the construction and upgrading of the access and internal roads are progressing well.
The first concrete batch plant has arrived on site and the civils contractor (TNR) will commence with the concrete work once the necessary preparatory earthworks have been completed.
Walkabout Resources’ Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Cunningham, commented: “Despite constructing a mine in a time when travel is restricted, our strategic network of delivery partners including our longstanding working relationship with Jinpeng has ensured Walkabout is in an agile position to meet agreed development targets.”
“Not only do Jinpeng understand Lindi Jumbo through their close involvement in the front-end engineering and flowsheet design of the processing plant, Axis Group mitigates any potential risk acting on our behalf during the QA and loading stages,” Mr Cunningham said.
“We are pleased to partner with such an experienced manufacturer of graphite processing plants as we set up for production from this standout graphite deposit.”
“During the past week on-site, I have been inspecting site bulk earthworks together with the executive team of our civils contractor, TNR. The progress being made is aligned with our construction schedule and am confident that the progress of Lindi Jumbo is in good hands.”