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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Two lithium project developers have reached agreements that will advance their projects in Ontario, Canada: a grassroot integrated lithium operation and a brownfield lithium-conversion plant.
Frontier Lithium (Ontario) recently agreed to form a joint venture (JV) with Mitsubishi Corporation (Tokyo, Japan) that will deliver "immediate and near-term financing to aggressively advance the first fully integrated lithium mining and processing operation in Ontario," according to a March 4 press release.
Mitsubishi will acquire an initial 7.5% interest in the PAK Lithium Project for C$25 million (US$18.5 million), and upon completion of the definitive feasibility study (DFS), will have the right to increase its interest to 25%.
The JV is designed to cover the equity funding for the planned mine and mill project while maintaining at least 75% of future offtake, according to the press release; the partnership also will support the initial development of mining and future expansions downstream with chemical processing.
The PAK open-pit, 4.6 million-ton-per year mine will consist of two deposits--PAK and Spark--with a 2,900 ton-per-day concentrator that would process 210,000 tons per year of milled ore to produce 40,000 tons per year of technical-grade and 60,000 tons per year of chemical-grade spodumene concentrate (combined capacity of 100,000 tons per year) over a 24-year mine life. The chemical-grade product would be sold to the market.
An expansion of the mill and an additional chemical-grade spodumene concentrate processing line will allow the site to process 921,000 tons per year of milled ore and ramp up to technical-grade production of 200,000 tons per year and chemical-grade production of 160,000 tons per year, starting in the third year of the operational life. The chemical-grade feedstock would then be trucked to a planned chemical conversion plant to produce 12,520 tons per year of battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate and 7,360 tons per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate.
Frontier Lithium expects to reach a final investment decision on the whole project in the second half of 2025, with mine and mill construction planned to begin by the end of the year and wrap up in first-half 2027. Construction of the mill expansion and line addition and chemical-grade lithium conversion plant are expected to wrap up in late 2029. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can click here for a list of related project reports.
"PAK is an outstanding lithium project, and we recognize its strategic value in ensuring a secure supply of lithium to North American markets," said Kota Ikenishi, general manager of the battery minerals office, Mitsubishi Corporation, in the related press release.
Another lithium project in Ontario aimed at adding to that supply also recently received good news. Rock Tech Lithium Incorporated (Vancouver, British Columbia) has reached an agreement with Canadian real estate, infrastructure, and business development company BMI Group (BMI) (Ontario) that finalizes the lease contract for a brownfield lithium hydroxide conversion plant in Red Rock, Ontario, according to Rock Tech's March 4 press release. BMI also committed to invest C$5.5 million (US$4.06 billion) into the asset level of the project; the investment also allows BMI to acquire an equity stake in the project. Rock Tech said the exact terms and conditions of the lease and investment agreements will be negotiated in the coming weeks.
Located on the site of the former Norampac Paper Mill, Rock Tech would develop, build and operate the plant, which would be able to extract 15,000 tons per year of battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate from 96,000 tons per year of spodumene concentrate. Construction is expected to kick off in mid-2025. Click here to read the detailed project report.
The spodumene concentrate would be trucked to the plant from Rock Tech's planned Georgia Lake lithium operation, 60 kilometers north of the new plant. The Georgia Lake lithium mine and mill initially will start as a 1 million-ton-per-year open-pit mine with a 2,800-ton-per-day flotation processing plant to produce 100,000 tons per year of chemical-grade spodumene concentrate over the first four years of the mine's expected nine-year life. For the final five years of mine life, the mine will shift to underground operations, maintaining its 1 million-ton-per-day output to supply the processing plant. Industrial Info's researchers have assessed the above-ground portion with a medium probability (70-80%) of kicking off in May. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the project reports on the above-ground portion and the underground portion.
For information on another Canadian lithium operation, see August 4, 2023, article - Canada Lithium Mine Begins Commercial Shipments.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project and Plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.
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).
Frontier Lithium (Ontario) recently agreed to form a joint venture (JV) with Mitsubishi Corporation (Tokyo, Japan) that will deliver "immediate and near-term financing to aggressively advance the first fully integrated lithium mining and processing operation in Ontario," according to a March 4 press release.
Mitsubishi will acquire an initial 7.5% interest in the PAK Lithium Project for C$25 million (US$18.5 million), and upon completion of the definitive feasibility study (DFS), will have the right to increase its interest to 25%.
The JV is designed to cover the equity funding for the planned mine and mill project while maintaining at least 75% of future offtake, according to the press release; the partnership also will support the initial development of mining and future expansions downstream with chemical processing.
The PAK open-pit, 4.6 million-ton-per year mine will consist of two deposits--PAK and Spark--with a 2,900 ton-per-day concentrator that would process 210,000 tons per year of milled ore to produce 40,000 tons per year of technical-grade and 60,000 tons per year of chemical-grade spodumene concentrate (combined capacity of 100,000 tons per year) over a 24-year mine life. The chemical-grade product would be sold to the market.
An expansion of the mill and an additional chemical-grade spodumene concentrate processing line will allow the site to process 921,000 tons per year of milled ore and ramp up to technical-grade production of 200,000 tons per year and chemical-grade production of 160,000 tons per year, starting in the third year of the operational life. The chemical-grade feedstock would then be trucked to a planned chemical conversion plant to produce 12,520 tons per year of battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate and 7,360 tons per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate.
Frontier Lithium expects to reach a final investment decision on the whole project in the second half of 2025, with mine and mill construction planned to begin by the end of the year and wrap up in first-half 2027. Construction of the mill expansion and line addition and chemical-grade lithium conversion plant are expected to wrap up in late 2029. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can click here for a list of related project reports.
"PAK is an outstanding lithium project, and we recognize its strategic value in ensuring a secure supply of lithium to North American markets," said Kota Ikenishi, general manager of the battery minerals office, Mitsubishi Corporation, in the related press release.
Another lithium project in Ontario aimed at adding to that supply also recently received good news. Rock Tech Lithium Incorporated (Vancouver, British Columbia) has reached an agreement with Canadian real estate, infrastructure, and business development company BMI Group (BMI) (Ontario) that finalizes the lease contract for a brownfield lithium hydroxide conversion plant in Red Rock, Ontario, according to Rock Tech's March 4 press release. BMI also committed to invest C$5.5 million (US$4.06 billion) into the asset level of the project; the investment also allows BMI to acquire an equity stake in the project. Rock Tech said the exact terms and conditions of the lease and investment agreements will be negotiated in the coming weeks.
Located on the site of the former Norampac Paper Mill, Rock Tech would develop, build and operate the plant, which would be able to extract 15,000 tons per year of battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate from 96,000 tons per year of spodumene concentrate. Construction is expected to kick off in mid-2025. Click here to read the detailed project report.
The spodumene concentrate would be trucked to the plant from Rock Tech's planned Georgia Lake lithium operation, 60 kilometers north of the new plant. The Georgia Lake lithium mine and mill initially will start as a 1 million-ton-per-year open-pit mine with a 2,800-ton-per-day flotation processing plant to produce 100,000 tons per year of chemical-grade spodumene concentrate over the first four years of the mine's expected nine-year life. For the final five years of mine life, the mine will shift to underground operations, maintaining its 1 million-ton-per-day output to supply the processing plant. Industrial Info's researchers have assessed the above-ground portion with a medium probability (70-80%) of kicking off in May. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the project reports on the above-ground portion and the underground portion.
For information on another Canadian lithium operation, see August 4, 2023, article - Canada Lithium Mine Begins Commercial Shipments.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project and Plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.
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).
