PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Tawana Resources and its joint venture partner Alliance Mineral Assets have started construction of the lithium plant at the Bald Hill lithium and tantalum mine, in Western Australia.
The two companies on Tuesday announced the execution of an engineering, procurement and construction contract with Primero Group to build the 1.2-million-tonne-a-year dense media separation (DSM) plant, valued at A$30-million.
“This is another key milestone for the project,” said Tawana MD Mark Calderwood.
He noted that associate site works and construction have now started at Bald Hill, with lithium concentrate expected during the first quarter of 2018.
The A$42.2-million 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.