Name of the Project
Tres Quebradas (Q3) salar brine project.

Location
Catamarca province, Argentina.

Project Owner/s
Zijin Mining, through its subsidiary Neo Lithium.

Project Description
The Q3 project is rich in resources, relatively high-grade and low-impurity, with favourable development conditions.

According to the latest feasibility study, Q3 has a total mineral resource of about 7.63 -million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (lithium-ion concentration at 400 mg/ℓ cutoff). The mineral reserve is estimated at 1.67-million tonnes, equating to 31% of the measured and indicated resources at the average lithium-ion concentration of 786 mg/ℓ.

According to the project’s feasibility study published in November 2021, the 3Q project involves the development of three main areas:

• the 3Q Salar site, which comprises the brine extraction wells, the evaporation ponds and the crystalisation plant;
• an access road; and
• the property available in the Fiambalá industrial park.

Phase 1 of the project will produce 20 000 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent. The precipitation method will be adopted as the major technique for extraction, which has a simple and smooth process, and low energy consumption and production costs.

The project has a 50-year life-of-mine.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an after-tax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $1.13-billion and an internal rate of return of about 39.5%, with a payback of 2.3 years from the start of production.

Capital Expenditure
$370.5-million.

Planned Start/End Date
It is expected that construction  will  be  completed and  production  will start  at  the  end of  2023.

Latest Developments
Zijin plans to further optimise the project’s production techniques and the layout of the process.

In response to the low lithium recovery rate in Phase 1 of the 3Q project, Zijin has arranged for a technical team to conduct preliminary experimental research, and there is the possibility of a relatively significant improvement in the lithium recovery rate and production volume.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Zijin Mining Corp, tel +86 592 2933586 or email international@zijinmining.com.
Neo Lithium, email info@neolithium.ca.