Sigma Lithium Corporation has achieved successful production of continuous sequential batches of crushed lithium material, thus completing the commissioning of the crushing circuit at its Greentech plant in Brazil.
The company also concluded the commissioning of the system that will pump water from Rio Jequitinhonha river 6 kilometers away to the sewage treatment plant to clean the water of its solid residues, making it suitable for the Greentech plant. The overall commissioning of the Greentech plant remains ahead of schedule and on budget, the company said.
"Reaching this critical milestone of concluding commissioning of the crushing module of the Greentech Plant is a tremendous achievement of our execution team,” CEO Ana Cabral-Gardner said in a statement.
READ: Sigma Lithium begins commissioning of Greentech Plant DMS one month ahead of schedule, announces leadership changes
“What drives us at Sigma Lithium is the larger purpose to leave a legacy of prosperity at Vale do Jequitinhonha in Brazil. We are inserting Brazil in the global battery materials supply chain through the front door, producing an environmentally and socially sustainable lithium that will be building the next generation of electric vehicles with materials produced with the same ethos of its customers.”
Additionally, Sigma Lithium announced the launch of phases two and three of the Greentech plant expansion, which includes high-precision engineering and capital expenditure costing by obtaining firm quotes from suppliers.
The Greentech plant expansion is expected to increase run-rate production from 270,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) to 766,000 tpa of battery-grade sustainable lithium, the company said.
Sigma Lithium is on track to commence commercial production in April 2023, and the company expects to start generating cash flow in the second quarter, producing battery-grade, high-purity, environmentally and socially sustainable lithium concentrate
"Our community, neighbours and the municipalities at Vale do Jequitinhonha have been our stalwart supporters since inception,” Cabral-Gardner said. “The Minas Gerais government and the federal government have been driving progress in the country and the state by creating a modern regulatory environment for lithium and for environmental licensing, comparable to the best countries in the industry such as Australia.”
She continued, “As a result, more than seven new lithium exploration publicly traded companies, adhering to Australian or Canadian high standards of governance have been established in the region last year, mentioning Sigma Lithium as their beacon. Ushering a new era for Vale do Jequitinhonha and transforming it into the Vale of Lithium.”
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