Lotus Resources (ASX:LOT) said commissioning focus is now on finalizing the automation of the drying and packaging circuit, which will then allow the production of the first yellowcake uranium at the Kayelekera project in Malawi, according to a Thursday Australian bourse filing.

This came after loaded resins were transferred from the resin-in-pulp circuit to the elution circuit, which is charged and ready for production runs. The first transfer of eluate to the precipitation circuit was completed, enabling the next stage of uranium recovery.

Ore stockpile re-handling started on July 31 as part of a strategy to use mined ore stockpiles to restart production before switching to freshly mined ore in the December quarter, the filing said. It will continue to use about 300,000 tonnes of stockpile ore, representing about three months of mill feed, until mining commences.

Operations are continuing to ramp up, with the milling circuit performing in line with recommissioning expectations and throughput rates increasing steadily.

The Kayelekera uranium mine was inaugurated by the President of the Republic of Malawi, Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, on Tuesday.