Aim- and ASX-listed Africa-focused lithium exploration and development company Atlantic Lithium, which is aiming to deliver Ghana’s first lithium mine, has submitted a mining licence (ML) application in respect of the extraction of minerals from the proposed Ewoyaa lithium mine, to the Minerals Commission of Ghana (MinCom).

Atlantic’s majority-owned subsidiary Barari DV Ghana, and wholly-owned Ghana company Green Metals Resources, have lodged initial documents in support of its ML application for the Ewoyaa project.

The application will now be assessed by the Ghanaian government as soon as practicably possible, as part of the approval process ahead of the grant of the ML.

The application includes the submission of the recent prefeasibility study (PFS), the results of which were announced in September.

Atlantic on October 13 said it was a milestone for the company as it moved the Ewoyaa project from the discovery stage to the delivery of studies and the submission of an ML application, towards permitting.

“The Ewoyaa lithium project . . . has a compelling case for development at a time of unprecedented lithium demand. [We have] completed extensive exploration and technical programmes, environmental and social studies, economic studies and the valuation of the project.

“As evidenced by our work to date and highlighted by the recent PFS, we can demonstrate a fundamentally robust development case at Ewoyaa, which delivers extensive social and economic benefits to our local communities and the Republic of Ghana,” Atlantic interim CEO Lennard Kolff said.

He added that the company would be working closely with MinCom, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, local government authorities, host communities and other regulatory bodies towards the grant of the Ewoyaa ML.

“Our ongoing and planned activities now focus on further derisking the development timelines of the project, rapidly advancing a detailed design and construction phase and ultimately, moving into production whilst continuing to grow our exploration pipeline,” Kolff said.