Zeehan Zinc Low Grade Furnace Slag/Matte Project

Tasmanian Zinc Project, Western Tasmania

Tartana Resources’ wholly owned subsidiary, Intec Zeehan Residues Pty Ltd owns Mining Lease ML 3M/2017 located approximately 2.5 km south of the township of Zeehan in western Tasmania. This lease contains an old smelter site along with stockpiles of low grade furnace slag/matte.

ZEEHAN ZINC SLAG INDICATED MINERAL RESOURCES* Tonnes Grade Contained Metal
 Slag in stockpiles 469,000    
 Zinc Grade   13,3% 62.377 t
 Lead Grade   1.7% 7,973 t
 Silver Grade (g/t)   53.0 799.171 oz

* Prior to extraction.

The Zeehan smelter operated intermittently from 1898 and 1948 recovering lead, silver and copper from the processing of locally mined ores and ore concentrates. However, the technology at that time did not allow for the recovery of zinc and hence the zinc from the processed material ended up in relatively inert zinc slag heaps or dumps on site.

After completing a 7-hole air core drilling programme to assist in verifying historical drilling data and to enable an upgrading of the mineralisation to a JORC 2012 Indicated Resource status, Tartana Minerals Limited then signed an agreement with MCC Non-ferrous Trading LLC to sell shipments of low-grade furnace slag/matte to South Korea.

Tartana Minerals Limited has now completed 16 shipments using local contractors and exported over 300,000 tonnes through the Burnie Port.

At the completion of the shipments Tartana Minerals Limited in conjunction with neighbouring lease holders plans to rehabilitate the site. This will be a significant achievement given the site has remained in its current state for more than 70 years but has interesting historical features.

The first shipment of low grade furnace slag/matte being exported to South Korea (September 2020).
Excavation and screening of the Zinc low grade furnace slag/matte.