VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – Preconstruction activities for eCobalt Solutions’ Idaho Cobalt Project (ICP) are ramping up with components for the water treatment plant starting to arrive on site, the company reported on Monday.

The Vancouver-headquartered company has awarded contracts for the water treatment plant’s installation to start in May.

“This fulfils an integral part of our approved plan of operations, and our commitment to sustainable water management at the ICP for the long-term benefit of the region, the environment and the communities in which we operate,” president and CEO Paul Farquharson stated in a media release.

With the company's pockets lined with a recent C$30-million financing, the plant will treat water from the underground mine and runoff from the dry-stacked tailings facility before it is released, as specified under the project’s applicable discharge permit.

Further, eCobalt said construction contracts have been awarded for the water management ponds; building pads for the concentrator, mill and water treatment plant; quality control and assurance for all earth work and concrete; fuel island; gravel haul; and potable water wells.

Engineering for the roaster design in the optimised feasibility study is progressing based on data gained from pilot tests being conducted with Dundee Sustainable Technologies, the company said.

Other surface construction support equipment is also being delivered to the site.

To transition the ICP to construction and prepare for operations, environmental systems, warehouse expansion and health and safety plans are being updated, as well as hiring for several integral roles, including a mine manager, superintendents and metallurgists, eCobalt said.

Over the course of the coming weeks, preconstruction activities will continue to progress in preparation for full construction ramp-up in the summer months, the company advised.

In February, eCobalt announced a 12.5% increase in the compliant measured and indicated resources at the ICP to 3.87-million tons, grading 0.59% cobalt, for 45.7-million pounds of cobalt. This compared with a previous estimate of 3.44-million tons, grading 0.59%, for 40.6-million pounds of cobalt.

It is thought that the ICP remains the sole, near-term primary cobalt deposit in the US. Cobalt prices have recently touched new 52-week highs of $43.32/lb, and remain above the $40/lb level for the most part, so far in April.