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Argentina
Cauchari-Olaroz Project

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 Location:
160 km NW from San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina

  Project Contacts:
Palma R. Carrillo 54 PB
San Salvador de Jujuy
Argentina
4600
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  • Overview
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  • Geology
  • Mining
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  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageConstruction
Mine TypeIn-Situ
Commodities
  • Lithium
Mining Method
  • Brine mining
Mine Life40 years (as of Jan 1, 2020)
Commissioning of the lime plant started in early October 2021 to support production ramp up.
Stage 1 operation of planned 40,000 tpa lithium carbonate targeting first production by mid-2022.


Owners

Source: p. 6
CompanyInterestOwnership
Jujuy Energia y Mineria Sociedad del Estado (“JEMSE”) 8.5 % Indirect
Lithium Americas Corp. 44.8 % Indirect
Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. 46.7 % Indirect
Cauchari-Olaroz is a lithium brine project and is owned by a legal entity in Argentina, Minera Exar S.A. (“Minera Exar”). Minera Exar is owned by the Lithium Americas Corp. (44.8%), Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd. (“Ganfeng”) (46.7%) and Jujuy Energia y Mineria Sociedad del Estado (“JEMSE”), a mining investment company owned by the government of Jujuy Province in Argentina (8.5%).

Contractors

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Deposit Type

  • Brine


Summary:

The Cauchari and Olaroz Salars are classified as “Silver Peak, Nevada” type terrigenous salars. Silver Peak, Nevada in the USA was the first lithium-bearing brine deposit in the world to be exploited. These deposits are characterized by restricted basins within deep structural depressions in-filled with sediments differentiated as inter-bedded units of clays, salt (halite), sands and gravels. In the Cauchari and Olaroz Salars, a lithium-bearing aquifer has developed during arid climatic periods. On the surface, the salars are presently covered by carbonate, borax, sulphate, clay, and sodium chloride facies.

Cauchari and Olaroz have relatively high sulphate contents and therefore both salars can be further classified as “sulphate type brine deposits”.

The brines from Cauchari are saturated in sodium chloride with total dissolved solids (TDS) on the order of 27% (324 to 335 g/L) and an average density of about 1.215 g/cm3. The other primary components of these brines are common to brines in other salars in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, and include: potassium, lithium, magnesium, calcium, sulphate, HCO3, and boron as borates and free H3BO3.


Mining Methods

  • Brine mining


Summary:

A total of 56 wells were used to simulate brine extraction for the Updated Mineral Reserve Estimate. The wells comprising the brine extraction wellfield are spatially distributed in the Resource Evaluation Area of the Project to optimize well performance and capture of brine enriched in lithium. Production was initiated in Year 1 of the pumping schedule representing 23 Phase 1 wells. In Years 2 through 40, 33 wells are added to the pumping schedule for duration of the life of mine plan. During the Phase 2 pumping period, the average nominal pumping rate per well is 16 L/s capacity, providing approximately 903 L/s of lithium enriched brine from the aquifer to the evaporation ponds.

Due to uncertainties in the spatial distribution of aquifer hydraulic properties and ultimate well hydraulic efficiencies at constructed production wells, difference may exist between pumping rates applied in the simulation versus measured pumping after construction of wells. Therefore, estimates of capital and operating costs should include a contingency allowance of additional wells to ensure that production targets can be achieved. In addition, it is likely that wells will need to be rehabilitated or replaced during the 40-ear production period and cost estimates should include provisions to cover such expenditures.


Crushing and Grinding
Flow Sheet: Source


Processing

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

- subscription is required.


Projected Production:

CommodityUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Lithium t 40,0001,576,279
All production numbers are expressed as carbonate.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics
Annual production capacity  ......  Subscription required
* According to 2020 study.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at May 7, 2019:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Proven 156,875,201 cu. m Lithium 616 mg/L 96,650 t
Proven 156,875,201 cu. m LCE 514,450 t
Probable 967,767,934 cu. m Lithium 606 mg/L 586,270 t
Probable 967,767,934 cu. m LCE 3,120,590 t
Proven & Probable 1,124,643,135 cu. m Lithium 607 mg/L 682,920 t
Proven & Probable 1,124,643,135 cu. m LCE 3,635,040 t
Measured 1,130,000 cu. m Lithium 591 mg/L 667,800 t
Measured 1,130,000 cu. m LCE 3,554,700 t
Indicated 5,170,000,000 cu. m Lithium 592 mg/L 3,061,900 t
Indicated 5,170,000,000 cu. m LCE 16,298,000 t
Measured & Indicated 6,300,000,000 cu. m Lithium 592 mg/L 3,729,700 t
Measured & Indicated 6,300,000,000 cu. m LCE 19,852,700 t
Inferred 1,500,000,000 cu. m Lithium 592 mg/L 887,300 t
Inferred 1,500,000,000 cu. m LCE 4,722,700 t

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnitsAverage
Cash costs Li2CO3 USD  ......  Subscription required&nbs
Assumed price Li2CO3 USD  ......  Subscription required&nbs
* According to 2020 study / presentation.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

2020 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M USD  ......  Subscription required
Sustaining CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscription required
Closure costs $M USD  ......  Subscription required
Transportation (haulage) costs $M USD 201.7
G&A costs $M USD 207.4
Total OpEx $M USD  ......  Subscription required
Income Taxes $M USD  ......  Subscription required
Gross revenue (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscription required
EBITDA (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscription required
Pre-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscription required
After-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscription required
Pre-tax NPV @ 10% $M USD  ......  Subscription required
Pre-tax NPV @ 8% $M USD  ......  Subscription required
After-tax NPV @ 10% $M USD  ......  Subscription required
After-tax NPV @ 8% $M USD  ......  Subscription required
Pre-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscription required
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscription required
Pre-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscription required
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscription required
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Heavy Mobile Equipment:

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 30, 2020
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 30, 2020
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 30, 2020
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 10, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 10, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 10, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 10, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 10, 2022
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
Corporate Presentation 2022
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
Feasibility Study Report 2018
Press Release 2018
Press Release 2018
Feasibility Study Report 2017
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Subscription required - Subscription is required.

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