Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusCare and Maintenance
Commodities
  • Lithium
  • Spodumene
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
SnapshotThe Finniss Operations consist of an open pit mine at Grants and underground mine development at BP33. Recently commissioned DMS plant produces a high-quality, coarse-grained spodumene concentrate.

Construction of the Finniss Operations was completed in early 2023 and the first concentrates produced in February 2023.

In response to falling lithium prices and subdued market fundamentals, Core elected to suspend all mining operations at Finniss in January 2024 with processing of stockpiled ore continued until June 2024.

In the last quarter of FY24 Finniss transitioned toward care and maintenance.

Core is planing the Restart Study on track for completion and release in the June 2025 quarter. Any restart decision is supported by relevant approvals and will be guided by the study outcomes and market conditions.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Core Lithium Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
Core Lithium Ltd. is the 100% owner and operator of the Finniss Lithium Operation.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Pegmatite

Summary:

The Lithium deposits at the Finniss Lithium Project are hosted within rare element pegmatites of the broader Bynoe pegmatite field. The Bynoe Pegmatite Field is situated 15km south of Darwin and extends for up to 70km in length and 15 km in width. Over 100 pegmatites are known with individual pegmatites varying in size from a few metres wide and tens of metres long up to tens of metres wide and hundreds of metres long.

The Finniss pegmatites have intruded early Proterozoic shales, siltstones and schists of the Burrell Creek Formation which lies on the northwest margin of the Pine Creek Geosyncline. To the south and west are the granitoid plutons and pegmatitic granite stocks of the Litchfield Complex. The source of the fluids that have formed the intruding pegmatites is generally accepted as being the Two Sisters Granite to the west of the belt, and which probably underlies the entire area at depths of 5-10 km.

Fresh pegmatite at most deposits is dominated by coarse-grained spodumene, quartz, albite, microcline and muscovite. Spodumene, a lithium bearing pyroxene (LiAl(SiO3)2), is the predominant lithium bearing phase and displays a diagnostic red-pink UV fluorescence. The Bilatos deposit appears to be unique in that geological logging identified multiple lithium bearing mineral phases, including spodumene, amblygonite and lepidolite. The pegmatite bodies can be weakly zoned, usually with a thin (1-2m) quartz-mica-albite wall facies and rare barren internal quartz veins.

Mineralisation is typically hosted within large, massive, sub vertical pegmatite bodies (e.g. Grants). It can also be present within shallow to moderately dipping stacked pegmatite bodies or sheets (e.g. Hang Gong).

DIMENSIONS:
Carlton
• The Mineral Resource is 280m long, strikes NNE and has a true width of up to 25m (average 15m).
• The pegmatite is steeply east dipping and has been interpreted at a depth of approximately 800m below surface.
• Other characteristics include small eastern and western sub-horizontal sills that are both mineralised in part.
• Whilst continuous, the pegmatite body does appear to narrow to the north and south but has a very strong down plunge component. The pegmatite is deeply weathered to depths of approximately 65m below surface.

Lees
• The lithium is hosted within multiple stacked pegmatite bodies with a NW strike extent of approximately 360m. With true width of individual bodies varying between 2 and 20m.
• The pegmatites dip at approximately 45 degrees to the NE and have been interpreted at a depth of approximately 600m below surface.
• The pegmatites remain open in multiple directions with the high chance that further pegmatite sheets exist within the system.
• The pegmatites are deeply weathered to depths of approximately 70m below surface.

Ah Hoy
• The lithium is hosted within a single pegmatite body with a strike of approximately 230m. With an average true width of approx. 15m.
• The pegmatite dips at approximately 80 degrees to the NW and has been interpreted to a depth of approximately 600m below surface.
• The mineralisation remains open to the north and down dip.

Booths
• The lithium is hosted within a series of stacked pegmatite bodies with a NW strike extent of approximately 750m. With true widths of up to 13m.
• The pegmatites dip between 30-45 degrees to the NE and have been interpreted to a depth of approximately 200m below surface.
• The pegmatites are deeply weathered to depths of approximately 80m below surface.
• Modelling has demonstrated that the pegmatites between Lees and Booths are continuous.

Seadog
• The lithium is hosted within a single pegmatite body with a strike of approximately 140m. With true width of up to 20m.
• The pegmatite dips steeply to the north and has been interpreted to a depth of approximately 350m below surface.
• The mineralisation remains open to the east and down dip.

Penfolds
• The lithium is hosted within a series of subvertical pegmatite bodies along a strike of approximately 190m. With true width of up to 15m.
• The pegmatite remains open down dip has been interpreted to a depth of approximately 290m below surface.
• The depth of weathering is relatively shallow at approximately 50m below surface.

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

The first concentrate was produced in February 2023.
CommodityProductUnits20242023
Spodumene Concentrate kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Li2O t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Lithium Ore t  ....  Subscribe

Production Costs

Commodity20242023
C1 cash costs Spodumene  ....  Subscribe
C1 cash costs Spodumene  ....  Subscribe
** Net of By-Product.

Financials

Units20242023
Capital expenditures M AUD  ....  Subscribe
Revenue M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Gross profit M AUD  ....  Subscribe
Pre-tax Income M AUD  ....  Subscribe
After-tax Income M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
EBIT M AUD  ....  Subscribe
EBITDA M AUD  ....  Subscribe
Operating Cash Flow M AUD  ....  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
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Workforce

Total WorkforceYear
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Aerial view:

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