Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT) has received approval from the Department Mines and Petroleum for the removal of excess tonnage from Lepidolite Hill Lithium Project in Western Australia.
The material recovered under the terms of the excess tonnage removal permits will be part of the feed required for LIT’s large-scale SiLeach® pilot plant.
However, the program to recover lepidolite (lithium mica) remains subject to appropriate approvals.
READ: Lithium Australia able to separate lithium using ore-sorting technology
Chemical analysis of product and waste streams supports the successful partitioning of lepidolite (lithium mica) into a concentrate stream.
LIT managing director Adrian Griffin said: “Obtaining approval for excess tonnage advances our aim of producing lithium-ion batteries from mine waste.
“That will begin with the application of our 100% owned SiLeach® process to produce the lithium component.”
READ: Lithium Australia to turn waste into commercial lithium product
Griffin added “We are well advanced with a pilot plant run at ANSTO Minerals (a division of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) to generate the materials that will be used to further process that lithium in our Brisbane based VSPC facility.
“The production of batteries from mine waste will be a world first.
“VSPC will officially complete the commissioning of its Brisbane cathode powder pilot plant on 6 September 2018.
“This momentous occasion will be celebrated with an opening ceremony on that day.”
The Very Small Particle Company (VSPC) can produce lithium-ion phosphate at a finer size than other producers, which gives batteries far superior performance.