ASX-listed lithium explorer PMET Resources has confirmed in a concept study that the Shaakichiuwaanaan project, in Québec's Eeyou Istchee James Bay region, can viably produce a value-added lithium chemical at site.

This offers reduced logistics intensity over time and aligns with Canada’s objectives for domestic processing of critical minerals.

PMET set out to evaluate future potential to process spodumene concentrate into a value-added lithium product directly at the Shaakichiuwaanaan site.

The company completed a structured review of seven processing flowsheet options in this regard, opting ultimately for ASX-listed NRW Holdings’ subsidiary Primero’s ALi atmospheric leach process as the preferred value-added pathway for further study.

PMET says Primero’s ALi proprietary process offers the best economic potential, strong logistics efficiency benefits and a low technical risk profile. The technology also minimises the project’s environmental footprint.

Primero undertook bench-scale testwork on spodumene concentrate samples from Shaakichiuwaanaan using its ALi process, which produced a 99.8% battery-grade lithium carbonate.

If combined with the use of electric calcination through Québec's low-cost renewable energy, on-site value-added processing has future potential to reduce carbon intensity and improve efficiencies within the battery materials supply chain, PMET confirms.

The company adds that the on-site refining strategy is a staged, longer-term growth opportunity and is not required for the current proposed development of the base spodumene concentrate project outlined in the Shaakichiuwaanaan 2025 prefeasibility study.

Next, PMET aims to determine more economic benefits of value-added products on site including potential introduction of electrical calcination technology to leverage the full potential of Québec’s renewable and low-cost hydroelectric power.

PMET COO Frederic Mercier-Langevin comments Shaakichiuwaanaan is already a Tier-1 asset and this concept study potentially identifies a credible pathway to capture additional value on top of it.

“Converting spodumene concentrate to a ‘value-added’ and potentially battery-grade lithium chemical on-site could deliver a lower-cost, lower-carbon flowsheet powered by Québec hydroelectricity. Primero’s bench scale results on our concentrates indicate battery-grade purity possibility and the logistics savings could be material.”

PMET CEO, MD and president Ken Brinsden highlights that the lithium industry has been mining hard-rock lithium in one place and refining it in another for decades. The refining has often taken place overseas, which is hardly the most efficient supply chain solution.

“The work we are reporting points to the potential for a redefinition of the supply chain. It could be a credible alternate pathway, demonstrated at bench scale with our spodumene concentrates, to refine battery-grade lithium at the mine gate in a stable, Western and low-carbon supply chain.

“This is the king of industry step-change, coupled with Shaakichiuwaanaan’s premier geology, that drew me to this project,“ Brinsden concludes.