Overview

Mine Type	In-Situ
Stage	Permitting
Commodities	Lithium
Mining Method	Brine mining
Mine Life	...
Snapshot	Francisco Basin was a greenfield project, where a new lithium discovery was made in 2022. A Scoping Study was published in September 2023 showing robust economics for a commercial DLE lithium operation from the current resource, which has significant potential to increase. Francisco Basin project affords significant potential development and operational advantages and has direct access to existing infrastructure and renewable power. Application for obtaining a permit for operation Francisco Basin was submitted in September 2023 and is currently being updated according to a new administrative procedure announced by the government after the end of the period April 2024. It was decided to suspend further work at Francisco Basin at the present time and utilise available funds to advance the Laguna Verde project as rapidly as possible.

Deposit type

• Sedimentary

Summary:

Francisco Basin is classified as an immature clastic salar characterised by greater moisture regimes and a sediment profile with higher porosities than mature halite salars. The Francisco Basin is an elongated basin aligned on a NW-SE axis bounded on all sides by volcanic mountain ranges. The surface of the salar is at an elevation of approximately 4,136m. To the south-east the basin forms a gently rising plain which forms the focus area of the project. The basin fill is characterised by sedimentary deposits that can be separated into three general units:

1. An upper unit of fine to coarse sands intercalated with fine gravels, minor clay and tuff levels
2. A middle unit of clay beds intercalated with minor levels of fine sands and gypsum
3. A basal unit of moderately consolidated gravels and sands, transitioning to silt beds

The brine aquifer is contained mainly from the middle unit down to the basement.

Dimensions
The Brine Resource is a sub horizontal lens with an approximately area of 9 km x 5 km and 320 m wide

Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Processing

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Production

Operational metrics

Metrics
Annual processing capacity	....
Annual brine extraction	....

Personnel

Job Title	Name	Profile	Ref. Date
.......................	.......................		Feb 27, 2024
.......................	.......................		Feb 27, 2024

Employees	Year
......	2023