JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The Bald Hill lithium project, near Kambalda, in Western Australia, is proceeding apace with structural steel work now well advanced and the placement of mechanical equipment and electrical cable having started.
Mark Calderwood, MD of Tawana Resources, which owns the project in a joint venture with Alliance Mineral Assets Limited (AMAL), on Tuesday provided a project update, stating that they remained committed to delivering lithium concentrate from Bald Hill during the first quarter of 2018.
“The project is coming to life, with significant increases in manning levels,” he said in a statement.
The engineering, procurement and construction contract for the lithium dense media separation circuit is progressing on schedule, with the design 88% complete and structural steel installation well advanced. Bins and hoppers are being installed and the screens and pumps are on site. The majority of mechanical equipment has also been delivered.
Tawana and AMAL have also chosen a preferred mining contractor, which has mobilised to site and a preferred crushing contractor, which is preparing to mobilise to site.
The Bald Hill project is expected to deliver 155 000 t/y of spodumene concentrate and 260 000 lb/y of tantalum pentoxide over a mine life of 3.6 years.