Oman-based Strategic and Precious Metals Processing (SPMP) has increased the capital budget for developing the Oman antimony roaster project in Sohar to $96 million, said a report.

London-based Tri-Star Resources, which has a 40 per cent stake in SPMP, revealed that the process test-work on the roaster project has been largely completed, added the Oman Daily Observer report.

Quoting SPMP, Tri-Star said the focus is now on operational readiness, while the forecast for plant commissioning has been moved to the first quarter of 2018.

As a result of SPMP achieving process design freeze for the project, more definitive appraisal of the costs of the project has been undertaken, it noted.

SPMP has approved of an increase in the capital budget for the project to $96 million from $70 million.

The intent of the bigger budget is to increase the capability of the plant to accept a wider range of feedstock such as direct shipping ores. It also will be used to expand the downstream gold treatment and gas handling to allow the project to bring in other feed sources for high gold content.

It will be used to change the design and minerals for construction of the gold furnaces, to improve plant life and equipment performance, added the report.