JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX- and Aim-listed European Metals has appointed Craig Reimer to head the definitive feasibility study (DFS) of the Cinovec lithium/tin project in the Czech Republic.

The appointment is aimed at strengthening the Cinovec team, as European Metals works towards delivering a DFS for the project in the second half of next year.

“Craig is a hugely experienced project manager and has worked for numerous clients in Australia and overseas and has been involved with studies, commissioning and construction of large scale projects. Craig will head an excellent study team located in Australia and Czech,” MD Keith Coughlan said on Wednesday.

Reimer has previously worked on projects for BHP, Vale Inco, Atlas Iron, ENK, Lynas Rare Earths, among others, on projects ranging from scoping and feasibility studies, to front-end engineering detail design, and construction and commissioning.

The company also announced that it had retained the services of lithium metallurgist Grant Harman, who was involved in the project’s prefeasibility study. Harman was previously manager of lithium chemicals for Talison Lithium and was involved in the management of that company’s carbonate plant from scoping study to DFS.

Meanwhile, the company reported that it had completed five of six drill holes for a total of 2 163.1 m this year. Infill drilling is continuing in the south-west section of the deposit, targeting two “gaps” in the resource model that could potentially be targeted for mining in the initial years.

European Metals also announced the analytical results for the first drillhole CIS-4, which returned a continuous mineralised intercept of 148.30 m, averaging 0.40% L_iO₂, starting at 297.7 m drill string depth. In addition, the upper section of the main lithium interval contained significant tin and tungsten mineralisation, including 0.70% L_iO₂, 0.29% tin and 0.073% tungsten at 15.85 m.

“The lithium and tin mineralisation intersected in the first hole is strong and continuous and will increase the size of our current inferred and indicated resource at Cinovec South. This will provide additional options for optimising production and development schedule. I am particularly pleased with the strong tin and tungsten credits in this part of the Cinovec South deposit,” commented Coughlan.

Cinovec is a hard rock lithium deposit with an indicated mineral resource of 348-million tonnes at 0.45% L_iO₂ and 0.04% tin and an inferred mineral resource of 309-million tonnes at 0.39% L_iO₂ and 0.04% tin containing a combined seven-million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent and 263 000 t of tin. An initial probable ore reserve of 34.5-million tonnes at 0.65% L_iO₂ and 0.09% tin has been declared to cover the first 20 years mining at an output of 20 800 t/y of lithium carbonate.

This makes Cinovec the largest lithium deposit in Europe, the fourth largest non-brine deposit in the world and a globally significant tin resource.