Investigating Design Of Lithium Carbonate Plant
Galan Lithium Limited (ASX: GLN) has commenced early foundation works for its feasibility study at its flagship Hombre Muerto West (HMW) project located in the South American Lithium Triangle in Catamarca, Argentina.
It has also kicked off fieldwork associated with the Greenbushes South JV (GLN 80%- LIT 20%).
“It is all hands-on deck for the essential preparation of further geological data required to perform the Feasibility Studies for the Hombre Muerto West Project. Our commitment remains focused on getting HMW online as soon as possible,” Galan’s Managing Director Juan Pablo (JP) Vargas de la Vega, said.
“The work being undertaken by our consulting team of specialists will further strengthen the project by optimising our methods and increasing the confidence in our results to date,” he said.
“Initial geological fieldwork has also commenced at the Greenbushes South JV project. I am currently on the ground supporting Galan’s team over the next week or so to expedite the field exploration work.”
The Company has recently appointed WSP Consulting Chile and SRK Consulting (Australia) Pty Ltd in respect of transforming the huge HMW resource into reserves, the main foundation for its feasibility study.
WSP will provide support and design work, including production wells, for different aspects related to the hydrogeology of the HMW tenements located in the Hombre Muerto Salar Basin. WSP’s team includes two former SQM employees who have a long history working with lithium brines.
SRK, in association with WSP, will review the current resource estimate and then undertake reserve conversion work for the HMW project.
Drilling at HMW fill follow up soon after the design and location of the well is confirmed. Galan is in advanced discussion with drilling companies to execute the programme.
Other Works
The following early works items have started or are due to start:
- Aerial survey to supply the topography data required at Feasibility Study level quality;
- Design of the mass balance for the brine concentrate with 6% of Li plus design of the pilot plant;
- Process design and mass balance of lithium plant for 6% of Li but also considering a lower Li content for selecting the optimum lithium plant design; and
- Upgrade the design of the pond system for up to 25.000 tpa of LCE with potential production including two stages, to be assessed
Preparation works for the FS have already commenced with the engagement of Ad-Infinitum for creating the design of the pilot plant and a specialised topography and ponds designing consultants for the preparation of a revised design of the evaporation ponds system, which should include the most favourable terrain at Rana de Sal and Del Condor mining tenements.
In parallel, discussions with engineering firms for the resolution of the final engineering assignment of the FS have been conducted and are well advanced.
Greenbushes South JV
Work at the Greenbushes South JV had commenced. The Galan team has been granted initial private access to parts of the relevant geological areas of interest to proceed with field work that includes soil and rock chip sampling as well as mapping. Desktop geological work is also planned in the near future on the recently granted E70/4777 tenement ~25km north of the Greenbushes mine. Another JV tenement, E70/5680, was also recently granted.
The Greenbushes South JV is an unincorporated joint venture between Galan and Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT).
