Overview

Mine Type	In-Situ
Stage	Permitting
Commodities	Lithium Potassium
Mining Method	Brine mining
Mine Life	...
Snapshot	Recent operational updates have shown the methodical and sustained progress at the Kachi site. Based on conclusions following a rigorous assessment of the project, Lake reset the production plan, timelines, and estimated costs of the Kachi project. The new approach significantly de-risks the project, with a phased development plan to target plant capacity of 50,000 tpa battery grade lithium carbonate. Key target milestones and estimates for Kachi are outlined below: - Two phases of 25,000 tpa each; - On track for submission of Initial DFS for Phase 1 targeting capacity for 25,000 tpa battery gradelithium carbonate. EIA Submission for Phase 1 was reported to the Catamarca Ministry of Mining on March 26, 2024.

Deposit type

• Brine

Summary:

The known sediments within the salar consist of salt/halite, clay, sand and silt horizons, accumulated in the salar from terrestrial sedimentation and evaporation of brines. Brines within the Salt Lake are formed by solar concentration, interpreted to be combined with warm geothermal fluids, with brines hosted within sedimentary units. Geology was recorded during the diamond drilling and from chip samples in rotary drill holes.

The Salar de Carachi Pampa is located within a large hinterland water catchment that focuses water flows into the closed drainage intermontane Carachi Pampa basin of about 9,500 km2. In particular, it drains the lithium bearing volcanic rocks of Cerro Galan volcano and associated hot springs, which is also interpreted to be the source of lithium for the Livent’s Fenix lithium brine project production at Salar de Hombre Muerto, about 110 km north of Kachi.

The Carachi Pampa basin is bounded to the east and west by NNE-SSW trending mountain ranges that have been raised by reverse faults to expose a basement sequence of rocks that rise to an elevation of 5,100 metres. The ranges are formed from Ordovician Falda Cienaga Formation comprising green-grey turbidites in outcrop, Permian Pataquia Formation, a red-bed sedimentary unit, and beige-green Eocene-aged Geste Formation of continental fluvial sediments.

The Carachi Pampa salt lake is rhomboidal in shape with a NW-SE long-axis, and covers a known surface area of about 135 km2. A Pliocene basaltic shield volcanic cone overlies the basin infill sediments with lave flow, scoria, and air fall basaltic debris, creating a veneer over the sediments and covering an area of approximately 70 km2.

To the south of the salar, ignimbrites, and unconsolidated pyroclastic sediments of the Cerro Blanco Pyroclastic Complex are thought to partially cover brine-saturated basinal sediments.

Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Processing

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Production

Operational metrics

Metrics
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