Finniss Lithium Project
TheFinnis Lithium Projectis alithium minesituated nearDarwinin theNorthern Territory,Australia.It is being developed byCore Lithium.
Theore bodywas discovered in 2016, and feasibility work was done in 2018–2020 with a firm investment decision made in September 2021. Commercial production began in February 2023 with an 8-year lifespan.[1]
Geological setup
[edit]The mine comprises 500 km2(190 sq mi) ofleases,covering the Bynoepegmatitefield (BPF) and several pegmatites near Darwin.[1]Specifically, it encompasses the five ore deposits "Grants, Carlton, Sandras, Hang Gong SW, and BP33."[1]The:[2]
ore bodies of the Finniss lithium project are characterised aslithium-cesium-tantalum(LCT) pegmatite deposits that are hosted within the Burrell Creek metasedimentary rock formation. The pegmatites at the deposits comprise lithium-bearingspodumene,quartz,albite,microclineas well asmica
with a consistent lithium content across the ore body.[2]
Description
[edit]Core Lithiumis developing the project,[3]having completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) in June 2018 and a definitive feasibility study (DFS) in April 2019. Revisions to the feasibility study were completed in 2020 to incorporate underground mining methods in the mining plan. A revised DFS was completed in July 2021 outlining a project that will occur in multiple stages. The first stage will involve open-pit mining near Grants and Hang Gong, as well as underground mining at the Grants, BP33, and Carltonprospects.[1]The AustralianJORC 2012 compliance processestimated 3.45 million tonnes (Mt) of mineral resource at 1.4 percentlithium oxide.[3]Major Project Status (MPS) was granted by theAustralian governmentin March 2021, recognizing the strategic significance of the project.[4]
Battery-gradelithium hydroxidewas produced as part of the test works onspodumenemineral concentrate sample from the project in April 2021.[1]Construction began in 2021 and full operational mining commenced in October 2022,[5]with the first shipment of spodumene concentrate being exported from thePort of Darwinin May 2023.[1]
Development of the mine is an $89 million project. Over the 12-year lifespan of the project 16 million tonnes (35 billion pounds) of ore are expected to be mined. Most lithium concentrate is expected to be exported overseas.[5]
Production and sales
[edit]In 2022,Teslacontracted for 110 thousand tonnes (240 million pounds) of spodumene concentrate over four years from the Core Lithium and the Finniss lithium mine.[6][5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcdef"Finniss Lithium Project, Northern Territory, Australia".Mining Technology.13 January 2022.Retrieved13 October2022.
- ^ab"Finniss Lithium Project".business.NS Energy.Retrieved13 October2022.
- ^abCORE Lithium: Finnis Lithium,retrieved 13 October 2022
- ^Matthis, Simon (17 March 2021)."Australia grants MPS for Core Lithium's Finniss lithium project".MiningMetalNews.Archived fromthe originalon 13 October 2022.Retrieved13 October2022.
- ^abc"Core Lithium opens the Northern Territory's first lithium mine amid surging demand for electric vehicles".ABC News.10 October 2022.Retrieved15 October2022.
- ^"NT opens first lithium mine, supplying Tesla".PV Magazine.13 October 2022.Retrieved15 October2022.
External links
[edit]- Finnish Lithium Project Deposit Summary Report
- Bynoe Pegmatite Field - Finniss Lithium (Grants, Carlton, Sandras, Hang Gong SW, BP33), Mount Finniss Tin-Tantalum