Finnish explorer and developer Keliber, in which Sibanye-Stillwater is a large shareholder, has been granted a permit to mine lithium ore from its Rapasaari deposit and for the placement of a concentrator plant in the Päiväneva area.
The Rapasaari deposit is located about 2 km southeast of Keliber’s Syväjärvi deposit, for which the mining permit became legally valid in January 2019.
These two deposits comprise 82% of Keliber's current ore reserves.
"We are pleased with the decision made by Tukes [Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency]. The Rapasaari mining permit is a significant part of the large-scale permit processes for the lithium project. Each permit takes us towards our goal of producing lithium hydroxide responsibly and profitably from our own ore in 2024," said CEO Hannu Hautala.
The permit is not yet legally valid.