Name of the Project
Piedmont lithium hydroxide chemical project.

Location
The project is located in North Carolina, in the US.

Project Owner/s
Piedmont Lithium.

Project Description
A new scoping study has demonstrated the project’s strong commercial potential.

The project has mineral resources estimated at 27.9-million tonnes grading 1.11% lithium oxide, compared with 16.2-million tonnes grading 1.12% in the 2018 scoping study.

The 2019 study includes a steady-state 22 700 t/y lithium hydroxide chemicals plant, supported by a mine/concentrator producing 160 000 t/y of 6% lithium oxide spodumene concentrate. Quartz, feldspar and mica by-products will provide credits for the cost of lithium production.

The project’s mine life has increased from 13 years in the 2018 scoping study to 25 years in the 2019 scoping study.

The chemicals plant has a life of 23 years.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The current scoping study estimates an after-tax net present value (NPV), at an 8% discount rate, of $1.45-billion and an internal rate of return of 34%.

The payback for the mine/concentrator is estimated at 2.4 years and the chemicals plant 2.4 years.

The 2018 scoping study estimated after-tax NPV, at an 8% discount rate, of $888-million and an internal rate of return of 46%.

Capital Expenditure
The current scoping study estimates initial capital expenditure at $168-million, compared with $130-million in the 2018 scoping study.

Planned Start/End Date
The construction of the mine and the chemicals plant will happen concurrently and first production is targeted for late 2022.

Latest Developments
Piedmont Lithium has said that it will accelerate development of its namesake project after securing a federal permit to develop the mine.

The company has received a Clean Water Act Section 404 Standard Individual Permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers, marking the only federal permit required for the proposed mine and concentrator.

The company has also received a Clean Water Act Section 401 Individual Water Quality Certification from the North Carolina Division of Water Resources.

The two permit approvals were achieved within Piedmont’s planned timeline, and represented a major milestone in the development of the Piedmont project.

The company has said that a preliminary feasibility study for the lithium hydroxide plant will now likely be completed by the second quarter of 2020, with a definitive feasibility study for the integrated project slated for the end of 2020.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Primero Group (process engineering and infrastructure); SGS Lakefield (metallurgical testwork); Marshall Miller and Associates (mine design and scheduling); CSA Global (resource estimation); HDR Engineering (permitting, environment and social studies); Johnston, Allison, and Hord (land title and legal); Roskill (lithium products marketability) and CSA Global (by-products marketability).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Piedmont Lithium, tel +61 8 9322 6322 or email info@piedmontlithium.com.