Name of the Project
Kathleen Valley lithium/tantalum project.
Location
North-east Goldfields of Western Australia.
Project Owner/s
Liontown Resources.
Project Description
A definitive feasibility study (DFS) has confirmed the potential to develop a state-of-the-art, second-generation lithium/tantalum mining and processing operation.
The DFS optimises the mine schedule, process plant design and forecast sales pricing to enhance the technical and financial viability of a standalone, long-life, four-million-tonne-a-year operation.
The project has an ore reserve of 68.5-million tonnes grading 1.34% lithium oxide and 120 parts per million tantalum pentoxide, underpinning an initial estimated 23-year mine life, based on the updated mining schedule.
Building on the October 2020 prefeasibility study, the DFS base production has been increased from two-million tonnes a year to 2.5-million tonnes a year, producing about 500 000 t/y of spodumene concentrate, with a four-million-tonne-a-year expansion planned in Year 6 to deliver about 700 000 t/y spodumene concentrate.
Potential Job Creation
Not stated.
Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an after-tax net present value, at a real 8% discount rate, of A$4.2-billion and an internal rate of return of 57%, with a payback of 2.3 years.
Capital Expenditure
Initial project capital is estimated at A$437-million.
Planned Start/End Date
First production is expected to start in the first half of 2024.
Latest Developments
Liontown is progressing the development of its Kathleen Valley project, awarding a key contract to processing equipment supplier Metso-Outotec for the design, fabrication and delivery of a semiautogenous grinding (SAG) mill.
The SAG mill contract is worth an estimated A$10-million, and the mill will accommodate base production of 2.5-million tonnes a year and the planned expansion to four-million tonnes a year in Year 6 of the mine plan.
Meanwhile, detailed engineering and design for the project is continuing and the company is targeting the award of all key equipment packages over the next six months to maintain schedule and meet its target of first production of lithium concentrate in 2024.
Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
ZOOID (environmental social governance); Optiro (geology and mineral resources estimate); Snowden Mining Industry Consultants (mine optimisation, planning, design and scheduling); ALS Metallurgy (process testwork); Lycopodium Minerals (process and infrastructure design, capital and operating expenditure); Knight Piésold (tailings and hydrogeology); MBS Environmental (environmental studies); Peter O’Bryan and Associates (geomechanical engineering); and Metso-Ouotec (design, fabrication and delivery of a SAG mill).
Contact Details for Project Information
Liontown Resources, tel +6 8 6186 4600 or email info@ltresources.com.au.