A maiden shipment of lithium concentrates to China enables Neometals (ASX: NMT) to focus on downstream lithium processing in Kalgoorlie and fine tuning processing of titanium from its Barrambie project.
Neometals and Mt Marion lithium project partner Mineral Resources (ASX: MIN), recently completed the first shipment of lithium concentrates from Mt Marion lithium project to China.
The shipment of 15,000 tonnes of lithium concentrates was delivered to China’s leading lithium producer, and third member of the Mt Marion partnership, Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd.
The first production and shipment of lithium concentrate follows commissioning and continued ramp up of production from Mt Marion, which is forecast to produce 400,000 tonnes per annum at full capacity.
“The successful first shipment from Mt Marion is a great achievement for Neometals and our project partners,” Neometals managing director Chris Reed told The Resources Roadhouse.
“It has taken a lot of dedication and hard work to deliver a world class project in a fast tracked and cost effective manner from final investment decision to first shipment – all within 18 months.”
One important aspect of the shipment is that it starts a three-year period, after which Neometals and MinRes will regain 51 per cent production from Mt Marion.
To avoid wasting any time, Neometals and MinRes struck a Memorandum of Understanding in September last year, under which they will jointly assess development of a downstream lithium processing facility close to the Mt Marion lithium operation.
The favoured location for the development of a new direct hydroxide sulphate processing plant is near Kalgoorlie in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia.