PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Juniors Neometals and Mineral Resources have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to look at the development of a downstream lithium chemical plant, in Western Australia.
Neometals and MinRes each hold a stake in the Mt Marion lithium project, and have the ability to collectively purchase 51% of the total spodumene production from the Mt Marion project, from around 2020.
The remaining spodumene production from that time has already been committed to Chinese shareholder Ganfeng.
The Mt Marion project will produce 400 000 t/y of 6% lithium spodumene concentrate. First production shipment is slated for October this year.
Under the MoU, the joint venture partners have agreed to jointly assess the technical and commercial feasibility of the construction and operation of a 20 000 t/y to 25 000 t/y lithium carbonate equivalent production.
The proposed process route, using conventional sulphate/caustic soda, will eliminate the need for pilot testing, as Ganfeng will be processing run-of-mine concentrates at commercial scale from the December quarter of this year.
Initial work streams under the MoU will start immediately, with a final investment decision expected by the third quarter of 2017.
Edited by: Creamer Media Reporter
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