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Released September 20, 2024 | SUGAR LAND
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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has completed the environmental impact statement (EIS) for a lithium-boron mine planned for rural Nevada.
The Rhyolite Ridge mine in Esmerelda County, Nevada, has been in the planning stage for a number of years, but with the BLM's completion of this significant milestone, development moves one step closer to seeing the light of day. The project is being developed by Australian miner Ioneer Limited (NASDAQ:IONR) (North Sydney, New South Wales). The BLM's report will be officially published today, opening the door for 30 days of public comment, but was available as an unpublished document prior to today.
In the document, the BLM outlines three scenarios for the project:
And the mine will affect a lot of acreage for a number of years. The BLM's unpublished document set out a 23-year timeline for the project. Years 1 through 4 would be designated for construction. The following 17 years would be designated for quarrying, with the final 13 years of this encompassing ore processing. The final six years would be for land reclamation in accordance with the BLM and Nevada Division of Environmental Protection regulations.
And there's a lot that will go into construction of the 20 million-ton-per-year open-pit mine. The facilities will include a leach plant to extract 32,000 tons per year of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) from milled ore. The LCE will be further refined into approximately 20,600 tons per year of technical-grade lithium carbonate. In addition, 32,000 tons per year of boric acid will be extracted from the ore. A 3,500-ton-per-day sulfuric acid plant will be on site to produce commercial-grade sulfuric for the leaching of the ore. A heat recovery system will accompany the plant, capturing heat to operate a 35-megawatt steam turbine that will power the facility.
If the public comment period passes with no major queries or observations, and the project clears further regulatory hurdles, construction potentially could begin next year, making the mine and associated facilities operational in 2029. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can learn more by viewing the related project reports.
Both lithium and boron are key elements in today's modern life. Boron is used not only as a nutritional supplement, but in industrial applications such as an additive for fiberglass and structural materials. The element also is used in heat-resistant polymers and ceramics. Lithium-ion batteries are used in countless devices employing rechargeable batteries, from cell phones to laptops to electric vehicles. Over its expected life, the Rhyolite Ridge facility could produce enough lithium for "upward of 50 million electric vehicles," according to Ioneer.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Database can click here to view some of the key projects discussed in this article and click here for the related plant profile.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
The Rhyolite Ridge mine in Esmerelda County, Nevada, has been in the planning stage for a number of years, but with the BLM's completion of this significant milestone, development moves one step closer to seeing the light of day. The project is being developed by Australian miner Ioneer Limited (NASDAQ:IONR) (North Sydney, New South Wales). The BLM's report will be officially published today, opening the door for 30 days of public comment, but was available as an unpublished document prior to today.
In the document, the BLM outlines three scenarios for the project:
- Alternative A establishes the basics of the project, including mine, ponds, water storage tanks, overburden storage facilities, a spent ore facility that includes a pond, haul roads and more. This scenario would disturb 2,306 acres of BLM-administered public lands and private land.
- The BLM's preferred alternative is Alternative B, which keeps most factors of Alternative A in place, but disturbs only 2,271 acres.
- Alternative C is that mine and supporting facilities aren't built at all.
And the mine will affect a lot of acreage for a number of years. The BLM's unpublished document set out a 23-year timeline for the project. Years 1 through 4 would be designated for construction. The following 17 years would be designated for quarrying, with the final 13 years of this encompassing ore processing. The final six years would be for land reclamation in accordance with the BLM and Nevada Division of Environmental Protection regulations.
And there's a lot that will go into construction of the 20 million-ton-per-year open-pit mine. The facilities will include a leach plant to extract 32,000 tons per year of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) from milled ore. The LCE will be further refined into approximately 20,600 tons per year of technical-grade lithium carbonate. In addition, 32,000 tons per year of boric acid will be extracted from the ore. A 3,500-ton-per-day sulfuric acid plant will be on site to produce commercial-grade sulfuric for the leaching of the ore. A heat recovery system will accompany the plant, capturing heat to operate a 35-megawatt steam turbine that will power the facility.
If the public comment period passes with no major queries or observations, and the project clears further regulatory hurdles, construction potentially could begin next year, making the mine and associated facilities operational in 2029. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can learn more by viewing the related project reports.
Both lithium and boron are key elements in today's modern life. Boron is used not only as a nutritional supplement, but in industrial applications such as an additive for fiberglass and structural materials. The element also is used in heat-resistant polymers and ceramics. Lithium-ion batteries are used in countless devices employing rechargeable batteries, from cell phones to laptops to electric vehicles. Over its expected life, the Rhyolite Ridge facility could produce enough lithium for "upward of 50 million electric vehicles," according to Ioneer.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Database can click here to view some of the key projects discussed in this article and click here for the related plant profile.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
