Global Geoscience Ltd (ASX:GSC) has unveiled additional details from its ongoing pre-feasibility study (PFS) of the 100%-owned Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project in Nevada, US.
Global Geoscience’s managing director Bernard Rowe said: “Our PFS work to date has provided a clear path to developing Rhyolite Ridge into a major, low-cost producer of lithium and boron in an environmentally sustainable manner.
“We are prudently progressing Rhyolite Ridge toward production and remain on track to release the PFS outcomes in Q3 2018.”
Proposed process flow sheet comprises three parts
The proposed three-part process flow sheet for Rhyolite Ridge is based on findings from the project’s recently completed first phase of the PFS.
Firstly, lithium and boron will be extracted from mined crushed rock using sulphuric acid leaching into a pregnant leach solution (PLS).
Secondly, the PLS will be further concentrated using a mechanical evaporator and the boric acid product is further refined by flotation and recrystallization.
Finally, the remaining impurities are removed via precipitation and ion exchange followed by the precipitation of lithium carbonate.
Mine and facilities to take up less than one square mile
The Rhyolite Ridge site layout has been designed with the total surface disturbance footprint of the mine and related facilities being less than one square mile or 640 acres.
This allows the Federal Bureau of Land Management to consider the project for the Environmental Assessment (EA) process.
The EA approval process can typically be completed within six to nine months of completion of baseline studies.