Name of the Project
Manono lithium and tin project.

Location
Democratic Republic of Congo.

Project Owner/s
AVZ Minerals.

Project Description
A definitive feasibility study (DFS) has confirmed the project’s outstanding metrics.

The project has total ore reserves of 93-million tonnes grading 1.58% lithium oxide and 988 g/t tin.

The DFS has shown the project to be robust and viable and envisages conventional openpit mining, producing about 700 000 t/y high-grade lithium and 45 475 t/y of primary lithium sulphate over a 20-year mine life.

The project has a life-of-mine beyond 20 years, based on a 4.5-million-tonne-a-year operation underpinned by the ore reserves.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a pretax net present value on a 100% basis, at a 10% discount rate, of $2.35-billion and an internal rate of return of 53.15%, with a payback of 1.5 years.

Capital Expenditure
Initial construction capital is estimated at $545.5-million, including a 10% contingency.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Initial project development works are advancing, including the construction of the initial camp.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
GR Engineering Services (process plant); PAIE (metallurgical testwork consultants); ALS (metallurgical testwork laboratories); Coppern (high-pressure grinding rolls original-equipment manufacturer); Steinhart (ore sorting original-equipment manufacturer); Middindi Consultants (geotechnical study); RD Consultants (hydrogeology and hydrology); CSA Global (resources to reserves study and mine development); ERM (mine closure plan); CONSI (operational readiness); L&MGSPL (tailings storage facility); Dynamic IT (information technology systems); Infraology (technical rail due diligence); Roskill (marketing survey); Graeme Campbell and Associates (geoscience); EmiAfrica (economic- and social-impact assessment); FTI Consulting (financial modelling); KCS Mining (mine contractor costing); Increva (project management consultants); Nexus Bonum (ore sorting consultants); iSpatial (georgraphic information system mapping); and Wisedesign (hydroelectric power plant DFS).

Contact Details for Project Information
AVZ Minerals, tel + 61 8 6117 9397 or  email admin@avzminerals.com.au.