JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Finland’s Keliber Oy has pushed back the completion of its definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its lithium project from the third quarter of this year to mid-2018, to allow for additional work programmes to be completed.

The company announced on Friday that it would undertake additional process test work to reconfirm minerals processing test results, further drilling would be undertaken to increase the resource base and a trade-off study on the location of the lithium carbonate plant would be done.

Keliber reported that the supplementary process test work would focus on mineral processing related to Rapassari deposit and the optimisation of the entire production process.

“We are pleased with the results of the test programmes, but we have decided to further investigate the indicated potential for optimisation. Recently tested new, and more representative ore samples from Rapasaari have given good results in minerals processing tests indicating a good opportunity to get more product out of the ore with lower production cost. As the DFS will be important for the financing of the project, we take the time to investigate further on this potential,” explained Keliber Oy CEO Pertti Lamberg.

Regarding the trade-off study on the location of the lithium carbonate plant, the company reported that it would consider also consider KIP Kokkola area, in addition to Kalavesi Kaustinen as a possible locations.

Keliber stated that it continued with other planning and preparations of the lithium project. Besides technical studies, this includes preparations related to the investment phase financing, as well as negotiations with potential clients to obtain end-product supply agreements.

Work on the environmental impact assessments and preparations for the environmental permits were also continuing.