Elementos Limited (ASX:ELT) has sung the praises of TORMA Sorting Solutions-Mining after it was able to reduce waste by 25 per cent and increase feed grade by 24 per cent during a trial run.

TORMA was sent three bulk samples from Elementos’ Oropesa tin project in Spain — a low-grade, a medium-grade, and a high-grade sample — and was able to achieve the result using an X-ray transmission sensor.

Similar methods are used at the San Rafael Mine in Peru and Renison Mine in Tasmania.

All up, the TORMA method led to a 92 per cent recovery rate from Elementos’ ore.

With further refining to be done, Elementos could reasonably expect a reduced feed to its processing plant, a higher feed grade into the plant, increased tin recoveries, and a smaller tailings dam.

No wonder Elementos CEO Chris Creagh was feeling pretty good about life this morning.

“The results provide us with a platform from which to determine the impact on the design of the Oropesa processing plant and significantly, potentially lower future capital and operating costs,” he said.

“The company will use the information contained from this test work to further optimise tin recoveries and capital and operating costs.”

In other ASX base metals news today

Hubay Minerals has pulled out of a deal with ASX-listed Southern Hemisphere Mining (ASX:SUH) to take a 70 per cent stake in the latter’s Llahuin copper mine in Chile. Hubay seemingly pulled out of the deal after a regional play fell over, but Southern Hemisphere is intending to talk to Chilean company Mina Punta del Cobre, which is the owner of a nearby deposit, about a potential tie-up.

Raiden Resources (ASX:RDN) has started work on its Kalabak project in Bulgaria — with initial review identifying “prophyry and epithermal gold alteration systems and geochemical anomalies.” There’s a long way to go of course, but Raiden is pleased by the early work at its base-gold project, saying that the company’s geologists identified a possible porphyry system on its Sbor prospect.

Finally, Alice Queen Limited (ASX:AQX) is gearing up to drill gold-copper targets at its Yarindury project in NSW. The targets are along trend from Newcrest’s Cadia Valley project, and six targets have been identified for drilling with average interpreted depth of less than 200m.