1,200 Tonnes Saleable Lithium Concentrate Produced at NAL
Brisbane, Mar 16, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Emerging lithium producer Sayona Mining Limited (
ASX:SYA) (DML:FRA) (SYAXF:OTCMKTS) has achieved a new milestone with the successful production of the first saleable spodumene (lithium) concentrate at its flagship North American Lithium (NAL) operation in Quebec, Canada.
Commissioning activities continue to progress, with approximately 1,200 tonnes of lithium concentrate produced, including SC6 (6% lithium grade). This demonstrates Sayona's ability to produce a commercial concentrate, following the recent successful production of the first lithium concentrate (refer ASX release 8 March 2023).
NAL's restart continues to proceed on schedule and within budget, with the first lithium shipment expected to occur in July 2023. Sayona is targeting total production between 85,000 tonnes and 115,000t during the first half of fiscal 2024 (refer ASX release 17 February 2023).
Engineering is now progressing on the next sub-project, the Crushed Ore Storage Dome, with close expediting of engineering deliverables implemented.
Sayona's Managing Director, Brett Lynch said the production of NAL's first saleable concentrate was a major milestone for the operation's restart, reflecting the improvements made to enhance production.
"Congratulations to the whole team at NAL for delivering yet another milestone on time and within budget.
Having witnessed first-hand the operation's restart I can only express admiration for this achievement, which demonstrates we have the experience and expertise to run a successful operation," Mr Lynch said.
"As the electrification revolution continues, Quebec is in pole position thanks to its sustainable hydropower, leading infrastructure and proximity to market. For Sayona, the opportunity is only getting bigger and we are proud to play our part as North America's emerging leading hard rock lithium producer."
Sayona has also furthered its engagement both with the community and investors, including attending the recent Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto. Canada's role in the EV revolution is accelerating, with Europe's largest automaker, Volkswagen, recently announcing plans to build an EV manufacturing facility in Ontario.
The NAL operation will represent the most significant source of hard rock lithium production in North America, boosting Quebec's plans for the development of a local battery sector, from mining to manufacturing.
Sayona has also announced plans for further drilling both at NAL and Jourdan Resources' adjacent Vallee Lithium Project (earn-in claims). More than 50,000 metres of drilling are planned, likely one of Quebec's largest drilling programs this year (refer ASX release 8 March 2023). These plans have been supported by a recent successful C$50 million flow-through-shares raising (refer ASX release 7 March 2023).
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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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