Mining Intelligence and News
Canada

North American Lithium (NAL) Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Lithium
  • Spodumene
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotForming the key part of Sayona’s Abitibi hub along with the nearby Authier Lithium Project, the restored North American Lithium (NAL) operation together with the Company’s emerging northern hub, now comprises North America’s largest lithium (spodumene) resource base.

On August 2, 2023 North American lithium producer Sayona Mining Limited announced about the first commercial shipment of spodumene (lithium) concentrate from the North American Lithium (NAL) operation in Québec, Canada.
Related AssetAuthier Project

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Piedmont Lithium Ltd. 25 % Indirect
Sayona Mining Ltd. 75 % Indirect
Sayona Mining’s Canadian subsidiary, Sayona Québec is owned by Sayona Mining (ASX:SYA, 75%) and Piedmont Lithium (ASX:PLL, 25%).

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Pegmatite

Summary:

The project is located in the region of The Archean Preissac-Lavorne which is a syn- to post-tectonic intrusion that was emplaced in the southern Volcanic Zone of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt of the Superior Province of Québec.

The spodumene pegmatites on the property are very poorly exposed.

The rocks are split between granodiorite of the Lacorne batholith, volcanics and some biotite shists, as well as the pegmatites dykes that mainly intrude the granodiorite and the volcanics.

Volcanic rocks on the property are represented by dark green mafic metavolcanics and medium grey silicified intermediate volcanics. The mafic rocks are medium grey to dark grey-green colour and cryptocrystalline to very fine grained.

Both mafic and intermediate volcanic rocks are affected by moderate to strong pervasive silicification, minor chloritisation and patchy to pervasive lithium alteration. There is alteration of the green hornblende in proximity to the spodumene pegmatite. There are also amphibolites that are fine grained, weakly foliated and dark green.

The granodiorite is medium grey to greenish grey, massive coarse grained to porphyritic, and exhibits a salt-pepper appearance. The main mineral constituents of granodiorites are light grey to greenish white plagioclase (40-45 vol%), dark green to black amphibole, most likely hornblende (15-20 vol%), mica(20 vol%), represented by biotite and muscovite, grey quartz (10-15%vol) and minor epidote, chlorite and disseminated sulphide.

Three different types of facies of pegmatites dykes have been identified based on mineralogy and textures: PEG1, PEG2 and PEG3. The main differences between the three types of pegmatite dykes are the amount of spodumene in the dyke, the feldspar and the quarts content, the texture of the pegmatite and the presence of zoning.

The NAL Mineral Resource includes 49 pegmatites striking approximately northwest and have variable dips from subvertical to 50 degrees to the southwest.

The NAL pegmatite dykes have been delineated over a strike length of approximately 1,600 m and to a depth of approximately 900 m vertical. Dykes have variable widths from 1.5 m to 60 m.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

The restart commenced on time in Q3 FY23 and culminated in the first spodumene concentrate production in March 2023 as part of the commissioning process. The first shipment of 19,200 dry metric tonnes of concentrate took place in August 2023, subsequent to period end.
CommodityProductUnits20242023
Spodumene Concentrate kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Li2O t
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics2023
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Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Financials

Units20232022
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Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

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Aerial view:

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