Name of the Project
Rose lithium/tantalum project.

Location
About 38 km north of Nemaska, in Quebec, Canada.

Project Owner/s
Critical Elements Lithium Corporation.

Project Description
The project proposes the construction, operation and decommissioning of an openpit lithium/tantalum mine.

The project includes the operation of an openpit, a waste and tailings impoundment area, an industrial ore processing facility and the option of transforming concentrate off site.

The mine will produce about 4 600 t/d of ore over a 17-year life span.

Average production of chemical-grade lithium concentrate is estimated at 186 327 t, technical-grade lithium concentrate at 50 205 t and tantalum concentrate at 429 t.

A standard froth flotation process comprising crushing, beneficiation and dewatering areas will be used.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an estimated after-tax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $726-million and an after-tax internal rate of return of 34.9%.

Capital Expenditure
The project is estimated at an initial capital cost of $341.2-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Critical Elements has successfully produced battery-grade lithium hydroxide in a pilot plant programme, converting spodumene concentrate from the Rose project, into battery-grade lithium hydroxide using a thermal leaching process.

The pilot plant conversion process has been further optimised and has confirmed the previous results with extraction and conversion rates of 92%.  The pilot plant work programme was conducted at technology group Metso’s Outotec Research Centre, in Finland.

Following this successful lithium hydroxide process optimisation campaign, Critical Elements will finalise its feasibility study for a lithium hydroxide conversion facility.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Critical Elements Lithium Corporation, tel + 1 514 904 1496.