Image Resources has produced its first heavy mineral concentrate (HMC) from its Atlas project in Western Australia.
The milestone was achieved despite construction delays due to bushfire evacuations taking place in November 2024.
Image completed all major construction activities at Atlas in line with its forecast and associated construction schedule, allowing the commissioning process to commence in early February. First HMC shipment and sale is expected for the June 2025 quarter.
“Achieving first production of HMC at Atlas marks a significant milestone for the company, on the heels of the successful construction and early-stage commissioning of our second mineral sands project,” Image managing director and chief executive officer Patrick Mutz said.
“Over the next few months, we will focus on ramping up to nameplate capacity, and producing a consistent, high-quality HMC product to maximise revenue.”
Mutz credited the production of Atlas’ first HMC to the teamwork of Image’s construction and development personnel and their commitment to safety and efficiency.
“I would like to thank all our construction contractors, including project manager ProjX and mining contractor Piacentini & Son, as well as Image’s development and support teams,” Mutz said.
“I look forward to reporting further positive updates as we complete commissioning and ramp up production.”
Image expects to reveal its 2025 production guidance in its March 2025 quarterly report and return to revenue generation in the June 2025 quarter.
To fully fund Atlas to first revenue, Image secured a $US20 million HMC offtake prepayment facility agreement with Shantou Natfort Zirconium and Titanium Co. in China in October 2024.
Located 180km north of Perth, Atlas has a mine life of two to three years and a mineral resource estimate that stands at 109 million tonnes at 2.5 per cent heavy minerals.
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