Aim-listed Kodal Minerals’ Bougouni lithium project, in Mali, is nearing fully permitted project status.
The company on June 8 received correspondence from Mali’s directorate of geology and mines Direction Nationale de la Geologie et des Mines (DNGM), confirming acceptance of the feasibility study for the project’s mining licence application.
Kodal says it will pay the £135 000 application fee for the mining licence promptly, following which DNGM will draft an exploitation decree and forward it to the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water.
Thereafter, the exploitation decree will be forwarded to the office of the Prime Minister for formal signing, which is the final step in the permitting process.
The feasibility study proposes an openpit contract mining operation, with production averaging 220 000 t/y of 6% spodumene concentrate over an initial 8.5-year mine life.