New NAL Milestone with Successful Ore Crushing Trial
Brisbane, Jan 31, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Emerging lithium producer Sayona Mining Limited (
ASX:SYA) (DML:FRA) (SYAXF:OTCMKTS) has achieved a new milestone in the restart of lithium production at its flagship North American Lithium (NAL) operation in Quebec, Canada, with a successful trial feed of ore into the crushing plant.
On 16 January 2023, 400 tonnes of spodumene ore were successfully processed as part of the concentrator commissioning, an important step in the restart process at NAL. Each component of the crushing process (automation, electrical and mechanical) was checked and tested by the pre-operational verification teams.
This activity involved the NAL operational and maintenance teams and contractors. The crushing process comprises the primary jaw crusher, secondary crusher and tertiary crusher, in addition to conveying equipment.
As previously reported, progress towards the concentrator restart had reached nearly 90% by the end of December 2022 for engineering and construction, with all critical equipment received together with the necessary environmental approvals (refer ASX release 16 January 2023).
Guy Belleau, CEO Sayona Quebec, reinforced at a recent NAL staff meeting the Company's commitment to health and safety, the environment and the local community. Sayona is expected to play a major role as a leader in the North American lithium industry, making Abitibi-Temiscamingue a hub for the energy transition in transportation.
"2023 will be a remarkable year in every way for Sayona and for Quebec as a whole, as the first tonnes of lithium spodumene will be produced at our NAL operation. The enthusiasm and pride to finally produce lithium here will be carried over to all of our projects and will propel us towards achieving our ambitious goals for all of Quebec. The moment will be historic! It is here in Quebec, in Abitibi-Temiscamingue, that the leading lithium producer in North America will operate," Mr Belleau said.
Mr Belleau reinforced the Company's Zero-Tolerance policy regarding safety together with its commitment to the highest environmental standards. Community relations is also a key focus, with monitoring committees set up for both NAL and the Authier Lithium Project to promote mutual dialogue and maximise community benefits, including for First Nations communities.
For example, some 90% of the NAL workforce is from Abitibi-Temiscamingue, of which a third are female. Similarly, more than C$40 million has been invested with local suppliers since January 2022.
Sayona's Managing Director, Brett Lynch commented: "Congratulations to our team at NAL for achieving another significant milestone as we advance the NAL restart closer to first production. Our key project milestones are on track and I look forward to seeing the first saleable lithium concentrate at the plant, as we move towards becoming North American's leading lithium producer."
About Elevra Lithium Limited
Elevra Lithium Limited (ASX:ELV) (NASDAQ:ELVR) is North America's largest hard-rock lithium producer with a diversified portfolio of high-quality assets across Quebec Canada, the United States, Ghana and Western Australia.
Our flagship operation, the North American Lithium (NAL) mine in Quebec, Canada has successfully ramped up production of spodumene concentrate, supported by ongoing operational enhancements to increase recovery rates, throughput, and mill utilisation. Following a Mineral Resource upgrade, Elevra completed a Scoping Study for a brownfield expansion to increase NAL's annual spodumene concentrate production and reduce unit operating costs.
Complementing NAL, the Moblan Lithium Project in northern Quebec represents one of the largest undeveloped spodumene resources in North America, with a Mineral Resource of 121 Mt @ 1.19% Li2O.
Development activities are progressing with feasibility studies targeting a large-scale, long-life operation capable of supplying both domestic and international markets.
In Western Australia, Elevra holds an extensive portfolio of lithium and gold tenements, where exploration programs are advancing to unlock additional growth opportunities. Meanwhile, in the United States, our Carolina Lithium Project offers a strategic foothold in the downstream lithium chemicals market and our project in Ghana provides a further option for future growth.
Looking ahead, Elevra is focused on strategic downstream partnerships to enable further value-added lithium production, positioning the Company to deliver a secure, sustainable supply of critical minerals to global customers. Together, these assets establish Elevra as a growth-focused supplier supporting the global energy transition.
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