Andrada Mining (AIM:ATM), a tin producer with critical minerals assets in Namibia, delivered record quarterly contained tin production of 286 tonnes in the first quarter of its 2027 financial year, up 20% year on year, alongside what it called exceptional near-surface lithium drill results and a material processing breakthrough at its Brandberg West tungsten project.
Ore processed at the Uis mine rose 6% year on year to 270,069 tonnes, with the processing rate climbing 9% to 154 tonnes per hour, pushing tin concentrate output up 17% to 473 tonnes.
Initial X-ray transmission ore-sorting tests at Brandberg West confirmed mass reduction of more than 90% for tin and tungsten processing, with tin and tungsten recoveries above 80% recorded in multiple instances, results the company says validate a potentially low-capital development pathway.
At Lithium Ridge, a 16,500-metre, 143-hole drill programme was completed during the quarter, returning intersections of up to 3.46% Li₂O from near surface, with assay analysis due to conclude in the third quarter of the financial year.
The company's Namibian subsidiary received conditional approval for NAD98 million (approximately £4.4 million) in loan facilities from Bank Windhoek and the Development Bank of Namibia, both on 10-year tenors including capital repayment holidays, earmarked to fund the Uis ore-sorting expansion.
"Brandberg West has the potential to become a globally significant lithium operation," Chief Executive Anthony Viljoen said, adding that the ore-sorting result "points to a potentially lower-cost and accelerated development pathway."
Assay results from the Lithium Ridge programme are expected to be reported through the third quarter of the 2027 financial year.
