Name of the Project
Kathleen Valley lithium/tantalum project.

Location
North-eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.

Project Owner/s
Liontown Resources.

Project Description
Kathleen Valley has an ore reserve of 71-million tonnes grading 1.40% lithium oxide and 130 parts per million tantalum pentoxide.

A prefeasibility study (PFS) has determined that the project has a mine life, at two-million tonnes a year, of about 40 years to produce 350 000 t/y of spodumene concentrate and 430 00 t/y tantalum pentoxide.

A downstream scoping study to produce either lithium hydroxide or lithium sulphate on site has demonstrated the financial upside to an integrated mining, processing and refining operation to produce lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) or lithium sulphate monohydrate (LSM).

At steady-state production, the LHM and the LSM projects would produce 430 000 t/y of tantalum, with the LHM refinery to have a design production rate of 58 000 t/y and the LSM refinery a production rate of 88 000 t/y.

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$1.12-billion and an internal rate of return of 37%, with a payback of three years.

Capital Expenditure
A$325-million.

The downstream scoping study has estimated that an integrated LHM operation will require a total capital spend of A$1.1-billion and an integrated LSM operation A$900-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Liontown is aiming to produce first tonnes from Kathleen Valley by mid-2024, one year ahead of the previously reported schedule.

Latest Developments
Liontown Resources is working to bring its Kathleen Valley operation into production a year ahead of schedule.

An updated and optimised definitive feasibility (DFS) study is due in the fourth quarter of this year, with a final investment decision due by the second quarter of next year.

The DFS follows a PFS completed in the fourth quarter of last year and a downstream scoping study to produce either lithium hydroxide or lithium sulphate on-site.

Liontown MD and CEO Tony Ottaviano has said that Liontown will look for a strategic partner to help in the development and operation of the downstream processing facility.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Lycopodium Minerals (DFS – process engineering); Snowden Mining Industry Consultants (DFS – mine engineering); Knight Piésold (DFS – tailings and hydrogeological engineering); MBS Environmental (DFS – environmental and permitting); and ALS Metallurgy (DFS– metallurgical testwork).

Contact Details for Project Information
Liontown Resources, tel +61 89322 7431 or email info@ltresources.com.au.