Mining Intelligence and News
United States

Carolina Lithium Project

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StagePermitting
Commodities
  • Lithium
  • Spodumene
  • Quartz
  • Feldspar
  • Mica
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotCarolina Lithium Project will be one of the world’s largest and lowest-cost producers of lithium hydroxide.

A revised air permit application for Carolina Lithium was received in January 2023 by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's (NCDEQ) Division of Air Quality and deemed complete in February 2023.

In May 2024, following more than two and a half years of thorough review, DEMLR issued our mining permit for the construction, operation, and reclamation of Carolina Lithium.

Air and wastewater permits, which are in progress, will be required to commence construction, in addition to rezoning approval and project financing.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Piedmont Lithium Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Piedmont holds a 100% interest in the Carolina Lithium Project

Deposit type

  • Pegmatite

Summary:

The mineralised pegmatites are thought to be concurrent and cross-cutting dike swarms extending from the Cherryville granite. As the dikes progressed further from their sources, they became increasingly enriched in incompatible elements such as lithium (Li) and tin (Sn). The dikes are considered to be unzoned.

Within the Project, spodumene pegmatites are hosted in a fine to medium grained, weakly to moderately foliated, biotite, hornblende, quartz feldspar gneiss or commonly referred to as amphibolite. The spodumene pegmatites range from fine grained (aplite) to very coarse-grained pegmatite with primary mineralogy consisting of spodumene, quartz, plagioclase, potassium-feldspar and muscovite.

Three main zones of mineralisation have been extensively drilled leading to Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource classifications. The largest is in the western portion of the property, known as the B-G Corridor, where close spaced drilling has identified mineralisation for 1,400 metres along strike and to a depth of 150 to 200 metres below surface. This corridor accounts for 54% of the total resource reported.

The F Corridor is the second largest area of mineralisation and accounts for 30% of the total resource reported. This corridor is located along the eastern portion of the property and also consists of multiple pegmatite dikes, these dikes have been drilled for 750 metres along strike and 150 to 200 metres below surface.

The third area, known as the S Corridor, is divided into two zones of mineralisation and accounts for the remaining 16% of the total resource reported.

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

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Lithium Hydroxide t 30,000582,000
Spodumene Concentrate kt 2484,960
Quartz Concentrate kt 2524,830
Feldspar Concentrate kt 3927,510
Mica Concentrate kt 701,340

Operational metrics

Metrics
Annual ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual processing rate  ....  Subscribe
Stripping / waste ratio  ....  Subscribe
Waste tonnes, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Total tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2021 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
Credits (by-product) Spodumene USD  ....  Subscribe
Total cash costs LiOH USD  ....  Subscribe
Total cash costs Spodumene USD  ....  Subscribe
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) LiOH USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price LiOH USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Spodumene USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2021 study / presentation.
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

Currency2018
OP mining costs ($/t mined) USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2018 study.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Initial CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Working capital $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Sustaining CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 8% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNamePhoneEmailProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 3, 2024
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Aerial view:

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