South Start Battery Metals Corp. said construction on the Phase 1 plant and mine installations at its Santa Cruz graphite mine in Bahia, Brazil remains on schedule and on budget.
In a corporate update, the company said construction through to the end of April 2023 was on track for commercial production at the end of the year.
The main work programs planned for the second quarter are civil construction, foundations and retention walls for the plant area; civil engineering, including entrance, security, additional offices, supply chain storage warehouse and contractor support area; electrical substation and internal electrical distribution network; and the delivery of approximately 35% of the major equipment.
At the company’s BamaStar graphite project located in Alabama, USA, South Start said a drilling company has been mobilized for a two-month program in support of its upcoming preliminary economic assessment (PEA), due to be completed at the end of the third quarter.
For the PEA program, the company plans to drill approximately 1,500 to 2,000 metres with the goal of expanding the existing mineral resources, testing boundaries, and improving understanding of the geology and mineralization controls.
The company said the PEA will present its five to seven year strategic plan for the two mines producing 100,000 tons per year of high-quality concentrates and between 60,000 and 70,000 tons per year of value-add and battery anode materials.
“South Star has two scalable assets in strategic, stable, mining-friendly jurisdictions and the team to build and operate them in a safe responsible manner in partnership with communities and stakeholders,” said South Star CEO Richard Pearce.
“Santa Cruz will be the first new graphite producer in the Americas since 1996, and BamaStar is expected to be producing in 2027."
South Star Battery Metals is a Canadian battery metals project developer focused on the selective acquisition and development of near-term production projects in the Americas.
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