LONDON (ShareCast) - (Sharecast News) - Firering Strategic Minerals updated the market on its ongoing refurbishment project at the Limeco quicklime plant in Zambia on Wednesday, reporting progress with the aim of starting phased production by the fourth quarter.
The AIM-traded firm said recent advancements at the plant included the installation and commissioning of a new kiln feed conveyor belt, completion of rebricking and bridge repairs inside Kiln 1, and the widening of Kiln 1's discharge end.

Additionally, new brakes were installed at the skip hoist motor, and foundation work for the first gasifier was nearly complete.

The first of two gasifiers, which would each support four kilns, was en route to the Limeco site, with several successful dry runs already conducted.

Firering said it had also upgraded its crushing plant, replacing the double roll crusher with an impact crusher and optimising the flow sheet for efficient production of kiln feedstock.

The team said it had started crushing high-quality limestone to build a kiln feed stockpile in preparation for firing Kiln 1 later in the year.

Notably, a previously-identified waste stockpile had been reclassified as a 'secondary stockpile' due to the discovery of substantial quantities of material suitable for kiln feed.

Moreover, Firering said it had made strides in quality control with the operationalisation of an on-site laboratory.

The laboratory was equipped with new instruments to test calcium carbonate and quicklime content, achieving high purity levels.

It said the specifications were crucial as the company continued discussions with potential off-takers.

"I am very pleased with the progress being made at Limeco where engineers are rapidly completing the modifications to the lime plant," said chief executive officer Yuval Cohen.

"Key to this plan has been the manufacturing of the coal gasifier parts, which are now on their way to Limeco having left the Port of Mundra, India, on 23 August.

"Notably, work on the gas ducting required to convey the hot gas from the gasifier to the kilns has also started."

Cohen said that having replaced the double roll crusher with an impact crusher, the crushing plant was performing well and being used to build a kiln feed pile of the right quality limestone with a size fraction of -90 to +60 millimetres.

"Undersize of -60 millimetres is guided back to the triple deck screen and split into three different aggregate streams for sale to our customers.

"Major progress has also been made at Limeco's onsite laboratory with the arrival of all outstanding test equipment.

"Accordingly, testwork to understand the impact of the different limestone qualities and burning times on the production of quicklime is in full swing with encouraging initial results showing high available quicklime content."

At 0922 BST, shares in Firering Strategic Minerals were down 0.92% at 3.22p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.

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