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Finniss Lithium Project

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(Redirected fromCore Lithium)

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

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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

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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

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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

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References

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  1. ^abcdef"Finniss Lithium Project, Northern Territory, Australia".Mining Technology.13 January 2022.Retrieved13 October2022.
  2. ^ab"Finniss Lithium Project".business.NS Energy.Retrieved13 October2022.
  3. ^abCORE Lithium: Finnis Lithium,retrieved 13 October 2022
  4. ^Matthis, Simon (17 March 2021)."Australia grants MPS for Core Lithium's Finniss lithium project".MiningMetalNews.Archived fromthe originalon 13 October 2022.Retrieved13 October2022.
  5. ^abc"Core Lithium opens the Northern Territory's first lithium mine amid surging demand for electric vehicles".ABC News.10 October 2022.Retrieved15 October2022.
  6. ^"NT opens first lithium mine, supplying Tesla".PV Magazine.13 October 2022.Retrieved15 October2022.
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