PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Lithium miner Mineral Resources (MinRes) is hoping to start the construction of a spodumene concentrate plant at its Wodgina lithium operation, in Western Australia, by the fourth quarter of this year.
The company on Friday announced plans to instal three modules capable of producing 250 000 t/y each, giving the project a combined nameplate capacity of 750 000 t/y of 6% product.
Commissioning of the first module is expected in the third quarter of 2018, with the commissioning of the second module to follow directly thereafter.
The company told shareholders that it was also undertaking feasibility level engineering and design for a lithium downstream processing plant that would initially be capable of producing 50 000 t/y of lithium carbonate, with a plant design footprint to allow for an expansion of up to 100 000 t/y.
As part of the feasibility activities, the company would determine the most optimal location for the construction and operation of the lithium carbonate plant, with the Wodgina mine offering several attractive attributes, including an existing gas-fired power station, an established accommodation village, an abundant supply of process water, and a short distance from Port Hedland.
MinRes in April this year shipped its first lithium direct shipping ore (DSO) from the Wodgina mine, with the project expected to deliver some 4.25-million tonnes of DSO material during 2017.