Lepidico's Namibian project proves positive
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – A definitive feasibility study (DFS) by ASX-listed Lepidico into an integrated mine, concentrator and chemicals plant has proven the economics of the Phase 1 development of its Karibib lithium asset, in Namibia.
The Phase 1 study is based on a modest-scale commercial plant processing a lithium mica concentrate feed at a rate of 6.9 t/h to produce some 4 900 t/y of nominal battery grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate and a suite of high value and bulk by-products.
Converting other products to lithium carbonate equivalent gave an implied total production of over 7 000 t/y over a mine life of 14 years.
The integrated project is expected to require a capital investment of $139-million for the mine, concentrator and chemical plant, and would have a C1 cash cost of $1 656/t of lithium carbonate equivalent, and an all-in sustaining cost of $3 221/t.
The DFS estimated a post-tax net present value of $221-million and an internal rate of return of 31.3%, with average free cash flow over the full 12 years of production estimated at $49-million.
“The study represents a major milestone in the advancement of the project and enshrines six years of extensive development work across multiple disciplines,” said Lepidico MD Joe Walsh.
“Lepidico’s Phase 1 project represents a unique development opportunity for the production of four valuable alkali metal streams, lithium, caesium, rubidium and potassium. This is enabled by the company’s proprietary process technology, L-Max, coupled with lepidolite as the mineral feed source.
“LOH-Max further differentiates Phase 1 from other lithium projects by providing a single process step solution for the production of lithium hydroxide without the costly and potentially problematic production of sodium sulphate.
“The vertically integrated Phase 1 project has been demonstrated by the DFS to be robust technically, economically and from a sustainability perspective, with the focus now on banking the study to transition the business into development and on into production,” said Walsh.
The ore reserves at Karibib have been estimated at 6.7-million tonnes, grading 0.46% lithium oxide, 2.26% rubidium and 320 parts per million caesium, The project is fully permitted for the redevelopment of two openpit mines feeding lithium mica to a central mineral concentrator, while an environmental and social impact assessment is being undertaken and is scheduled for completion in July.
A number of workstreams for the Phase 1 project will now progress, with a final development decision expected by May 2021.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation