Piedmont adds to resource estimate in the US

25th June 2019 By: Esmarie Iannucci - Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Australasia

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Lithium developer Piedmont Lithium has reported a 47% increase in the mineral resource estimate of its namesake project in North Carolina.

Piedmont on Tuesday reported that the mineral resource estimate for the Core property had increased by 55% to 25.1-million tonnes, at grades of 1.09% lithium oxide, bringing the Piedmont project’s total mineral resource estimate to 27.9-million tonnes grading 1.11% lithium oxide for 309 000 t of lithium oxide, or 764 000 t of lithium carbonate equivalent.

An estimated 74% of the mineral resource is located within 100 m of surface, and 97% of the resource lies within 150 m of surface, Piedmont told shareholders.

“We are very pleased with the resource update at our Core property, bringing our total project-wide resource to 27.9-million tonnes,” said Piedmont CEO and president Keith Phillips.

“As we expand our landholdings and drill out other highly prospective targets, we are optimistic that we will ultimately identify North America’s largest spodumene orebody. This scale, combined with high-grade strong mineralogy and metallurgy, and our superior location in North Carolina, all support the unique strategic nature of the Piedmont lithium project.”

The company is currently undertaking a prefeasibility level metallurgical testwork programme, followed by a scoping study update in July this year.