Overview
Stage | Preliminary Economic Assessment |
Mine Type | In-Situ |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Processing |
- Hot leaching & crystallization
- Lithium Carbonate Plant
- Resin adsorption
- Ion Exchange (IX)
- Solar evaporation
|
Mine Life | 25 years (as of Jan 1, 2021) |
Source:
p. 1
Summary:
The Candelas licence area is located within a structurally controlled basin (graben) and is part of the Hombre Muerto salar. The salar hosts a world-renowned lithium brine deposit. The lithium is sourced locally from weathered and altered felsic ignimbrites and is concentrated in brines hosted within basin fill alluvial sediments and evaporites.
The extents of the resource is approximately 2.7 km (easting) by 9.5 km (northing) by 600 m (vertical), giving a total volume of 15,390 km3.
Summary:
The brine extraction will be pumped via eleven production wells, including contingency for maintenance purposes. The pumped raw brine will be pumped to a surge pond then onto the first pond of the evaporation ponds system. The total average raw brine flow required to feed the evaporation ponds system is 204 l/s.
The Candelas Project has developed a layout allowing for the ponds to not interfere with the aesthetics of the Rio De Los Patos river channel and the main thoroughfare in the region. The brine wells are located within the river channel, whilst the evaporation ponds system, lithium carbonate plant, water wells, camp, etc. are located between 150 and 300 m uphill from the valley floor. The location of the evaporation ponds should be further investigated, Galan would seek for additional favourable terrain to improve the project future economics.
The raw brine flow coming from the wells field will be collected by a tank from where it will be pumped 150 m uphill to the buffer pond. From this first pond, the brine will commence the evaporation sequence through the ponds system.
Processing
- Hot leaching & crystallization
- Lithium Carbonate Plant
- Resin adsorption
- Ion Exchange (IX)
- Solar evaporation
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
The process defined and designed for the Candelas Project is based on conventional evaporation ponds as preconcentration and purification and a lithium carbonate plant, all defined to produce 14,000tpa of battery grade Li2CO3.
The process obtains brine from wells located in the North of the Candelas tenements, within the properties of the Project. This brine will be pumped to the pre-concentration ponds, from where the first pond will be fed. Through the action of solar radiation, wind and other environmental conditions, water will evaporate from the brine, generating a change in the equilibrium point of this liquid, which will prompt the precipitation of salts and the concentration of lithium present in this brine. Two separate reagent additions are designed to facilitate the precipitation of impurities as particular salts thereby not precipitating the lithium present in the brine as much as possible. Once this brine reaches a lithium concentration suitable for the treatmen ........

Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | Avg. LOM |
Lithium
|
Recovery Rate, %
| 61.6 |
Projected Production:
Commodity | Units | Avg. Annual | LOM |
Lithium
|
kt
| 14 | 364 |
All production numbers are expressed as carbonate.
Reserves at November 17, 2020:
Li: 500mg/l cut off for Candelas North.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Indicated
|
196 M cu.m
|
Lithium
|
672 mg/L
|
129 kt
|
Indicated
|
196 M cu.m
|
KCl
|
|
3,307 kt
|
Indicated
|
196 M cu.m
|
LCE
|
|
685 kt
|
Indicated
|
196 M cu.m
|
Potassium
|
5193 mg/L
|
1,734 kt
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | Average |
Cash costs
|
Li2CO3
|
USD
|
...... *
|
Assumed price
|
Li2CO3
|
USD
|
...... *
|
* According to 2021 study / presentation.
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2021 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :
Metrics | Units | LOM Total |
Initial CapEx
|
$M USD
|
......
|
Sustaining CapEx
|
$M USD
|
......
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Pre-tax NPV @ 8%
|
$M USD
|
......
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After-tax NPV @ 8%
|
$M USD
|
......
|
Pre-tax IRR, %
|
|
......
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After-tax IRR, %
|
|
......
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After-tax payback period, years
|
|
......
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Mine Management:
Job Title | Name | Phone | Email | Profile | Ref. Date |
.......................
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.......................
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.......................
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.......................
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|
Dec 16, 2021
|
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
Document | Year |
...................................
|
2021
|
...................................
|
2021
|
- Subscription is required.
- Subscription is required.