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Australia

Pilgangoora P2000 Project

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StagePre-Feasibility
Commodities
  • Lithium
  • Spodumene
  • Tantalum
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotThe P2000 Project represents the planned expansion of the Pilgangoora Operation. The expansion would increase the scale of the overall Pilgangoora Operation by ~60%-80%, providing an opportunity for economies of scale across the business on fixed cost.

Following highly accretive findings from the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS), Pilbara Minerals has commenced a Feasibility Study (FS) for the P2000 Project. The study focuses on critical areas such as mine planning, regulatory approvals, water supply, processing, tailings management, supporting infrastructure, and financial analysis and funding.

The Feasibility Study is expected to be completed in the December Quarter of CY2025, with a Final Investment Decision (FID) to follow based on the FS outcomes.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Pilbara Minerals Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Pilgangoora Operations Pty Ltd (operator) 100 % Direct
The Pilgangoora Operation is 100%-owned by Pilbara Minerals Ltd. through its subsidiary Pilgangoora Operations Pty Ltd.

Deposit type

  • Pegmatite

Summary:

The Pilgangoora pegmatite deposit is one of the largest hard rock lithium deposits in the world.

The Pilgangoora pegmatite district is located within the East Strelley greenstone belt, approximately 30 km east of Wodgina. Three principal pegmatite groups or domains are identified in the centre of the project area: Eastern, Central and South. Pegmatites of the principal domains have a strike length of up to 1.4 km, and mostly range in thickness from 1-30 m, although pegmatites in the Central domain may be up to 70 m thick. Two outlying pegmatite groups, Monster and Southern have strike lengths of up to 350 m and 500 m respectively. Pegmatites strike sub-parallel to the dominant north-northwest trending fabric of the greenstone belt with variable dips ranging from shallow to subvertical to the east.

The pegmatite domains at Pilgangoora are composites of several intrusive phases emplaced sequentially over the duration of the late-stage Turner River orogeny. Lithium grade in the pegmatite domains is subject to two main influences, one primary and the other secondary. The primary ore types comprise mainly coarse spodumene, K-feldspar and quartz, and the abundance of spodumene relative to the other two gangue phases is likely the main control on grade variations in zones grading better than 2% Li2O.

The main modelled mineralised domains are hosted in an area stretching 8,500m (north-south from Lynas Find and Monster down to South End), ranging between 50-1,500m (east-west) in multiple veins and ranging between (minus) -550m and 220m RL (AMSL).

The mineralisation dips between 20 and 60 degrees at a dip direction between 050 and 115 degrees for the majority of the domains. The Monster zone strikes 040 to 045 degrees and dips moderately to the south-east. In the Lynas area the pegmatite varies between horizontal and 50-degree dip towards the south and south-east.

Based upon the completed drilling, the pegmatites appear to be confined to a NNE trending corridor which is approximately 1600 metres long (north to south), 550 metres wide (east to west) and 450m deep. Mineralisation is present at surface for some lodes with most mineralised lodes starting from within 10m of surface.

The mineralised pegmatites are located approximately 1km east of a granite contact. There are several barren pegmatites located in the zone between the granite contact and the mineralised pegmatite zone. The granite contact and barren pegmatites were identified via sterilisation drilling carried out for the proposed infrastructure and waste dump areas.

The reason for this structural and or geological control within the deposit area is not fully understood however the distance from the granite contact is such that mineralisation in the pegmatite is confined to lithium and rubidium (almost wholly reporting in spodumene and muscovite respectively) with relatively low values for tin and tantalum or other associated minerals.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. Annual
Spodumene Concentrate kt 1,900

Operational metrics

Metrics
Annual ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe
Stripping / waste ratio  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2024 study.

Production Costs

CommodityAverage
Cash costs Spodumene  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Spodumene  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2024 study / presentation.
** Net of By-Product.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Total CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 8% $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

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....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Dec 17, 2024
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....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Dec 9, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Dec 17, 2024
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Aerial view:

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