Wechat QR code
Wechat QR code
15311826613
Click to add WeChatLithium is an important raw material for new energy. Countries with large reserves have inherent advantages. Western Australia has five of the world's largest lithium mines, with total reserves of more than 475.24 million tons (Mt). Mining Technology ranks the top ten lithium mines in the world based on proven and possible reserves.
The Sonora Lithium Project in Mexico is owned by Bacanora Minerals (77.5%) and Ganfeng Lithium Industry (22.5%) The largest lithium deposit being developed by the joint venture Sonora Lithium (SLL). The mine has estimated proven and probable reserves of 243.8Mt, containing 4.5Mt of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). The bankable feasibility study for the La Ventana concession will account for 88% of the ore mined from the project, with an estimated initial mine life of 19 years. Sonora will be an open-pit operation planned to be developed in two phases, with the first phase having a lithium carbonate production capacity of 17,500 tonnes per annum (tpa). Phase two will double production capacity to 35,000 tonnes per year.
The Thacker Pass Lithium Project is located in Humboldt County, Nevada, USA. It is 100% owned and operated by Lithium Americas. The mine is estimated to contain 179.4Mt of proven and probable reserves, containing 3.1Mt of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). The mine is expected to have a life cycle of 46 years. The project's pre-feasibility study (PFS) was completed in August 2018, proposing a two-phase mine development using open pit mining. The first phase is expected to be put into operation in 2022, with an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate. The second phase's production capacity will be increased to 60,000 tons, with a start-up date of 2026.
The Wodgina Lithium Project is located 100 kilometers southeast of Port Hedland, Western Australia. The mine was earlier 100% owned by Mineral Resources. In August 2019, the company entered into an agreement with Albemarle Corporation to form a 60:40 joint venture to develop the mine. The open pit mine has estimated reserves of 151.94 tonnes grading 1.17% lithium oxide. Spodumene concentrate plants are currently under construction, with the first coming on stream in June 2019 and the remaining three in 2020, with mine expected to be mined in the first quarter of 2020. Once operational, Wodgina is expected to produce 833,000 wet tonnes (750,000 dry tonnes) of 6% spodumene concentrate per year.
The Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project is located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The mine is 100% owned and operated by Pilbara Minerals.
The mine’s proven and probable reserves are estimated at 108.2Mt grading 1.25% lithium oxide and 120 ppm Ta2O5 and 1.17% Fe2O3. The project’s Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) was completed in September 2016 and commercial production was achieved in April 2019.
The mine is expected to produce 320,000 tonnes/year of 6% spodumene concentrate through open pit mining. Pilbara Minerals plans a phase two expansion of the mine to increase capacity to 5Mtpa, enabling it to produce 850,000tpa of 6% spodumene concentrate.
The Earl Gray Lithium Project, also known as the Mt Holland Lithium Project, is located in the Forestania Greenstone belt of Mt Holland, Western Australia. It is owned by Kidman Resources (50%) and Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM, 50%) under a joint venture called Covalent Lithium. The mine is estimated to contain proven and probable reserves of 94.5Mt grading 1.5% lithium oxide. The PFS for the project was completed in December 2018, while the DFS is currently underway. The mine is expected to produce 411,233 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per year over its 47-year mine life upon commissioning in 2020.
The Greenbushes Lithium Project is located in Greenbushes, Western Australia. It is owned by Chinese mining company Tianqi Lithium and operated by Talison Lithium, which is 51% owned by Tianqi Lithium. The mine contains an estimated 86.4Mt of proven and probable reserves grading 2.35% lithium oxide. It has installed two processing plants that produce industrial and chemical grade lithium concentrates. A second chemical-grade lithium processing plant comes online in 2019, which will double the mine’s processing capacity to 1.3Mtpa of lithium concentrate. Construction of the third processing plant began in the third quarter of 2019.
The Whabouchi Lithium Project is located in the James Bay region in central Quebec, Canada. It is 100% owned and operated by Canadian mining company Nemaska Lithium. The mine is estimated to contain 36.6Mt of proven and probable reserves grading 1.3% lithium oxide. It is planned to be developed using both open pit and underground mining methods over its 33-year mine life. Underground mining will begin in year 26 after the open pit reserves are exhausted. Wabouchi is expected to produce 205,000 tonnes of concentrate per year. Construction began in November 2019 after financing was secured.
The Pilgangoora lithium mine, 100% owned by Altura Mining, is located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The mine contains an estimated 34.2 Mt of proven and probable reserves grading 1.04% lithium oxide. The mine has an expected life of 13 years. The open pit operation was developed in two phases. The first phase was put into operation in early 2019 and is expected to produce 220,000 tons of spodumene concentrate annually. Altura has completed DFS for the second phase of the mine’s expansion, which will increase annual production capacity to 440,000 tonnes/year. Phase 2 is expected to take place subject to securing a long-term offtake agreement and the necessary funding, followed by first production expected within 18 months.
The Goulamina Lithium Project is 100% owned and operated by Australian mining company Mali Lithium. It is located in the Buguni region of southern Mali and is planned to be developed using open pit mining.
The mine has estimated reserves of 31.2Mt, lithium oxide grade 1.56%, indicated and inferred resources of 103Mt, and Li 2 O grade 1.34%. The mine has an expected operating life of 16 years and a concentrate production capacity of 362,000 tonnes/year.
Mali Lithium has completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the project and is currently conducting a DFS. A final investment decision on the project is due in the second half of 2020.
The Arcadia Lithium Project is an open-pit mine located 38 kilometers away from Harare, Zimbabwe. It is owned and operated by Australian mining company Prospect Resources (now acquired by Huayou Cobalt).
The mine is estimated to have proven and probable reserves of 29.8 tons, with a lithium oxide grade of 1.31%. The mine life is expected to be 12 years, with average annual production of 212,000 tonnes of 6% spodumene concentrate, 216,000 tonnes of leucite concentrate and 188,000 pounds of tantalum per year. DFS for the project was completed in November 2018. The mine is now in production.
*The content of this article comes from the Internet
*The pictures come from the Internet
* If the material content involves copyright and other issues, please contact the person in charge of this website in time
*The content of this website is for reference only and does not constitute direct suggestions for readers to make decisions
Consultation
153-1182-6613
Consult
Message
