PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Lithium miner Piedmont Lithium has launched a definitive feasibility study (DFS) for an integrated lithium hydroxide project in North Carolina.

The company on Tuesday said that the DFS would incorporate work currently under way at Piedmont’s concentrate operations, with Metso Outotec joining Piedmont’s technical team.

Using Metso Outotech’s technology, which omits the acid roasting step of conventional spodumene conversion, air emissions from the chemical operations are expected to be reduced compared with prior studies, Piedmont told shareholders.

The DFS would also evaluate enhancements to the Carolina operations, including the installation of solar generating capacity, in-pit crushing systems and the elimination of haul trucks from the operations plan.

“Demand for locally and ethically sourced battery raw materials is accelerating, and Piedmont is engaging in multiple initiatives to meet this opportunity in the most sustainable way possible,” said president and CEO of Piedmont, Keith Phillips.

“With the backdrop of new executive orders supporting domestic battery supply chains, we are very pleased to launch an integrated DFS to advance our North Carolina operations. In adopting the innovative Metso Outotec process, we hope to deliver enhanced DFS economics while also positioning the Piedmont lithium project to have a lower environmental impact than any of the lithium hydroxide projects currently operating and under construction around the world.”

Phillips said that as the DFS progressed, the company would continue with its discussions with prospective customers and strategic investors to optimally position the North Carolina operations for development later this year.

The study will likely be completed by the end of the third quarter of this year.

A previously completed prefeasibility study into the North Carolina lithium hydroxide plant estimated that some 22 720 t/y of lithium hydroxide could be produced over a project life of 25 years, at an average cost of production of $6 689/t.

The merchant project is expected to require a capital investment of $377-million for the chemicals plant, and would generate annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $149-million a year, have an after tax net present value of $714-million and an internal rate of return of 26%.