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Argentina
Cauchari-Olaroz Project

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

  Project Contacts:
Palma de Carrilo 54 PB
San Salvador de Jujuy??
Argentina
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  • Overview
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  • Mining
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  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StatusTemporary Suspension
Mine TypeIn-Situ
Commodities
  • Lithium
  • Li2CO3
Processing
  • Lithium Carbonate Plant
  • Solar evaporation
Mine Life40 years (as of Jan 1, 2018)
July 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC) (NYSE: LAC) ("Lithium Americas" or the "Company") announces that workers at the Caucharí-Olaroz lithium project (“Caucharí-Olaroz” or the “Project”) in Jujuy, Argentina tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, the COVID-19 protocol (the “COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocol”) for Caucharí-Olaroz has been activated with construction activities temporarily suspended while additional testing is undertaken.
Latest NewsLithium Americas and Ganfeng Lithium Complete the Caucharí-Olaroz JV Transaction     August 27, 2020


Owners

Source:
CompanyInterestOwnership
Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. 49 % Indirect
Lithium Americas Corp. 51 % Indirect
Minera Exar S.A. 100 % Direct
Aug. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC) (NYSE: LAC) (“Lithium Americas” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has completed the previously announced transaction with Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. (together with its subsidiaries, “Ganfeng Lithium”) in respect of their joint venture company, Minera Exar S.A. (“Minera Exar”) (the “Transaction”). Minera Exar owns 100% of the Caucharí-Olaroz lithium project (“Caucharí-Olaroz”) currently under development in Jujuy, Argentina.



On closing, Ganfeng Lithium subscribed for new shares of Minera Exar for cash consideration of US$16 million increasing its interest from 50% to 51%, with Lithium Americas owning the remaining 49%.

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


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


Processing

  • Lithium Carbonate Plant
  • Solar evaporation

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

The lithium recovery process consists of the following main processing stages:
- Brine production from wells;
- Sequential solar evaporation;
- Pond-based impurity reduction by liming;
- Plant-based impurity polishing;
- Lithium carbonate precipitation;
- Mother liquor treatment and recycle;
- Lithium carbonate crystal compaction and micronization; and
- Lithium carbonate packaging.

A brine evaporation rate of 6.05 mm/day was used as the design criteria for the pond system.

The pond system consists of 28 evaporation ponds segregated into the following types:
- 16 pre-concentration ponds;
- 6 halite ponds;
- 2 ponds as sylvinite ponds;
- 2 ponds for control; and
- 2 lithium ponds.

Each pond is equipped with a pump station and pipeline system for transferring brine between ponds.

As brine concentrates, the salt precipitates in the pond thus purifiying the brine. Salt that preci ........


Projected Production:

CommodityUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Lithium t 40,0001,571,250
All production numbers are expressed as carbonate.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics
Annual production capacity  ......  Subscription required
* According to 2019 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 *
Assumed price Li2CO3 USD  ......  Subscription required *
* According to 2019 study / presentation.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

2019 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 199.5
G&A costs $M USD 234.1
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
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Heavy Mobile Equipment:

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Dec 9, 2019
Subscription required - Subscription is required.


Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2018
................................... Subscription required 2018
................................... Subscription required 2018
Feasibility Study Report 2017
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Lithium Americas and Ganfeng Lithium Complete the Caucharí-Olaroz JV Transaction August 27, 2020
Lithium Americas Confirms Positive COVID-19 Cases at Caucharí-Olaroz and Temporarily Suspends Construction July 6, 2020
Lithium Americas Announces NDRC Approval for Transaction with Ganfeng Lithium June 23, 2020
Lithium Americas Announces Temporary Suspension of Construction in Argentina Following Government Restrictions March 20, 2020
Lithium Americas and Ganfeng Lithium Announce Caucharí-Olaroz JV Transaction and Provide Construction Update February 7, 2020
Lithium Americas Announces 40,000 TPA Feasibility Study for the Caucharí-Olaroz Lithium Project September 30, 2019
Lithium Americas Completes US$160 Million Project Investment by Ganfeng Lithium August 19, 2019
Lithium Americas Provides Update on the Project Investment by Ganfeng Lithium June 6, 2019
Lithium Americas Announces US$160 Million Project Investment by Ganfeng Lithium in Caucharí-Olaroz and Parties to Jointly Evaluate an Increase to 40,000 tpa April 1, 2019
Lithium Americas Provides Updates on the Cauchari-Olaroz and Thacker Pass Projects February 25, 2019
Lithium Americas Announces Closing of Transaction with Ganfeng Lithium and SQM October 31, 2018

Aerial view:

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