PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Construction has started at ASX-listed Galan Lithium’s Hombre Muerto West (HMW) lithium brine project in Argentina.

The company told shareholders on Monday that this was a significant step towards achieving the planned production capacity of 5 400 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent by the first half of 2025.

“This is the beginning of our construction journey to production. I would like to congratulate the global Galan team for their continued support to make this happen. This is also testimony to our desire to work locally with the community and contractors whilst receiving full support from the provincial government of Catamarca, Argentina,’ said Galan MD Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega.

“We have come a long way since our early days, considering Galan only obtained the original Hombre Muerto assets just over five years ago, and with all the delays experienced during Covid-19. This feels more real than ever for everyone at Galan. We will continue to give our best-focused efforts to become a new lithium producer by the first half of 2025.”

The first fleet of earthmoving equipment has been mobilised and is actively working on-site. Additional equipment is scheduled to arrive next week, further enhancing the construction process. Alongside the pond construction, other essential infrastructure upgrades are in progress, including improvements to the camp, diesel storage, water supply, and other site services.

A pivotal milestone for the HMW project is the construction, lining and filling of the first evaporation pond by the first quarter of 2024. With an expansive evaporation area of 205 000 m², its completion is crucial for initiating the evaporation path to production during the optimal summer months.

Phase 1 of the HMW project is expected to cost $104-million, with the project expected to have a mine life of 40 years.

The current Phase 1 focuses on producing a lithium chloride concentrate, in line with the recently approved production permits. The culmination of this phase will lead to the release of a Phase 2 definitive feasibility study in September 2023, targeting a full 20 000 t/y lithium carbonate equivalent production rate.

Phase 2 production is targeted for 2026.