Name of the Project
Manna-Nova lithium project.

Location
About 110 km east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, in Kakarra Country. The proposed processing plant is at the Nova operation, about 135 km by the planned upgraded haul route from Manna.

Project Owner/s
Lithium developer Global Lithium Resources (100% owner and operator of Manna). Global Lithium has agreed to acquire the Nova operation from diversified miner IGO Limited.

Project Description
Global Lithium released the completed Manna–Nova integration study on September 16, 2026, following its July 2026 agreement to buy the Nova operation. 

The study increases the probable ore reserve by 8% to about 21-million tonnes at 0.89% lithium oxide, from 19.4-million tonnes at 0.91% in the December 2025 definitive feasibility (DFS).

The Manna–Nova integration study proposes conventional openpit mining, with underground mining beneath the pits, and hauling Manna ore to a converted 1.8-million-tonne-a-year flotation plant at Nova. This replaces the new concentrator at Manna envisaged in the DFS. 

The existing Nova crushing, milling and flotation infrastructure will be retained, with ore sorting, magnetic separation, desliming and a brine pond added. The Nova plant acquisition removes the requirement to build a greenfield concentrator and associated infrastructure at the project.

The study estimates a 13-year mine life. This compares with the 14.3-year mine life estimated in the DFS. The integration study estimates life-of-mine production of 2.68-million tonnes (DFS: 2.76-million tonnes) of spodumene concentrate grading 5.5% lithium oxide (SC5.5) over that period and average production of 257 000 t/y of SC5.5 in the first seven years. 

A direct shipping ore (DSO) phase is planned ahead of concentrate production.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The integration study estimates a pretax net present value, at an 8% real discount rate, of A$1.36-billion, an ungeared after-tax internal rate of return of 119.6% and payback of 0.9 years from the start of production. The DFS figures were estimated at A$472.4-million, 25.7% and 3.5 years respectively. 

Capital Expenditure
The integration study estimates A$180.1-million in required preproduction funding, including a 10% owner contingency, from A$259-million (59%) in the DFS estimate of A$439.1-million. The saving principally reflects converting the existing Nova plant and using its infrastructure. A further A$59.8-million of capital work is deferred until after production starts and is assumed to be funded from operating cash flow.

Planned Start/End Date
Prestripping is scheduled to start in March 2027, the first DSO shipment is targeted for May 2027 and first SC5.5 concentrate for mid-2027, subject to the investment decision, transaction completion and funding. 

Latest Developments
The proposed acquisition and conversion of Nova, along with funding arrangements, are being advanced towards the targeted investment decision. The company says 70% of planned concentrate production is covered by binding offtake arrangements.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Mincore and Global Lithium (integration study), together with GR Engineering Services (Manna DFS); Sedgman Nova (concentrator conversion work peer review). 

Contact Details for Project Information
Global Lithium Resources, tel +61 8 6103 7488 or email info@globallithium.com.au.