Neometals – Low cost battery grade lithium hydroxide production possible using ELi technology

Neometals Ltd {ASX: NMT} and their Joint venture partners Mineral Resources Ltd. {ASX: MIN} have taken a major step towards commercialisation of their patented ELi Process that could see low cost battery grade lithium products produced from spodumene concentrate sourced from their Mt Marion Project, WA.

 

 

Feasibility Study shows low cost battery grade lithium hydroxide production
possible using ELi Technology  

 

 

Highlights

 Positive results for Feasibility Study (‘FS’) on producing battery grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate using the patented ELiTM Process
 The FS cost estimates established to an accuracy of +/‐ 15% confirm a production
operation is technically feasible and economically viable
 The FS demonstrates an internal rate of return of 51% and a pre‐tax net present value of US$481M using a 12% discount rate
 Pilot plant study using run‐of‐mine concentrates is the next step in commercialising ELi

 

Neometals Ltd {ASX: NMT} and their Joint venture partners Mineral Resources Ltd. {ASX: MIN} have taken a major step towards commercialisation of their patented ELi Process that could see low cost battery grade lithium products produced from spodumene concentrate sourced from their Mt Marion Project, located near Kalgoorlie, WA.
Results of a Feasibility Study (‘FS’), following a positive Prefeasibility Study in 2012, have confirmed the proposed production project is technically feasible and economically viable.
The ELi Process converts spodumene concentrate into a high purity lithium chloride solution, then uses electrolysis to produce high purity lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate, both high value products used in the lithium ion battery industry.

 

The technology is owned and being developed by Reed Advanced Materials Pty Ltd (RAM), which is 70% owned by Neometals and 30% owned by MIN.

 

Chris Reed, MD, Neometals, commented: “We are pleased to have completed another step towards commercialising our patented ELi process and building a globally competitive, high purity ‘battery grade’ lithium compound facility.
“The next step in the project’s development plan is to complete an integrated pilot plant test program using run‐of‐mine concentrates from Mt Marion before we commit to the detailed design and construction of a full scale plant. In parallel we will commence a formal partner selection process to commercialise this globally significant project.”
The FS evaluates an operation to produce 20,000tpa of lithium carbonate equivalent (‘LCE’) battery grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate by conversion of spodumene concentrates at a proposed plant in Malaysia. The FS incorporates an Engineering Cost Study (‘ECS’) with technical, engineering and economic assessments carried out by the subsidiary of the German‐owned EPC
contractor M+W Group, M+W Group (Singapore), to provide capital and operating cost estimates to an accuracy of ±15%.

 

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