Cadence Minerals (AIM:KDNC) said DEV Mineração S.A. has started hot commissioning at the Azteca processing plant, part of the Amapá Iron Ore Project in Brazil, after completing cold and wet commissioning and receiving technical consent from the Amapá State Environmental Authority (SEMA/AP).
The AIM-listed mineral investment and development company holds a 36.2% stake in the project through Pedra Branca Alliance, which owns DEV, and had invested approximately $16.1 million in Amapá as of 31 May.
DEV is now processing feed material at 25% to 50% of plant capacity to test throughput, concentrate grade and recovery, with commercial production targeted at approximately 380,000 tonnes a year of roughly 65% iron concentrate, pending a successful outcome and receipt of the Operating Licence.
The refurbishment reached mechanical completion earlier this month, having progressed from 48% weighted physical completion in May to full completion, ahead of plan throughout.
SEMA/AP's technical consent allows commissioning tests for up to 45 days from the start of feeding, and management expects the process to finish within that window based on initial results.
Any concentrate produced during testing must stay on site until the Operating Licence is granted.
Repairs to the Pedra Branca do Amapari bridge, currently operating under temporary controls, have also begun, targeted for completion before first shipment; the work is partly funded by the £1.8 million raised this month, which also covers studies into extending Azteca's feed life beyond its initial two to three years.
"The refurbishment is complete. Now we have to prove the performance," said chief executive Kiran Morzaria.
"Get it running, prove it, then improve it."
Cadence is separately preparing a Definitive Feasibility Study for the wider Amapá redevelopment, targeted to begin in 2027.