Planning for a second stage expansion of at least an additional 20 000 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent production capacity from the Caucharí-Olaroz project, in Argentina, is under way.
Lithium Americas, which owns the project in a partnership with Ganfeng Lithium, said on Friday that more details of the Stage 2 expansion would be available by the fourth quarter of this year, followed by an updated feasibility study in 2022.
Construction of the expanded phase would start in the second half of next year, following the commissioning and start-up of the initial 40 000 t/y operation.
The company reported that construction on Stage 1 was well under way, with more than 1 000 workers currently on site.
Senior members of Ganfeng’s commissioning and construction team have also arrived in Argentina to assist the project through to start-up.