Overview
Stage | Permitting |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Mine Life | 12 years (as of Jan 1, 2023) |
The Ewoyaa Lithium Project comprises the proposed Ewoyaa Lithium Mine and Processing Plant.
On 20 October 2023, the Atlantic Lithium announced that Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources had granted a Mining Lease in respect of the Ewoyaa Lithium Project. Key financial terms, agreed under the grant of the Mining Lease, have been updated from those considered as part of the Definitive Feasibility Study for the Project (29 June 2023).
During the period ended 31 December 2023, Atlantic Lithium Completed of the Flotation Scoping Study. The Company intends to commence construction of the flotation circuit once the main plant consistently delivers its intended nameplate throughput of 2.7Mt per annum.
Ewoyaa is now on track to become a top 10 hard rock spodumene concentrate mine. |
Latest News | Atlantic Lithium Announces Further Broad and High-Grade Drill Intersections March 20, 2024 |
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p. 5
Whilst the asset is currently wholly owned by Atlantic Lithium Ltd, Piedmont Lithium Inc. can earn up to half of the Company's ownership in the Project through its funding agreement whereby Piedmont will sole fund the first US$70m, and 50% of additional costs thereafter.
The Government of Ghana has the right to a 13% free carry once in production and the Minerals Income Investment Fund has agreed Heads of Terms with the Company, which will see it earn a 6% contributing interest in the Project.
Contractors
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Summary:
Pegmatite-hosted lithium deposits are the target for exploration. This style of mineralisation typically forms as dykes and sills intruding or in proximity to granite source rocks.
Surface geology within the Project area typically consists of sequences of staurolite and garnet-bearing pelitic schist and granite with lesser pegmatite and mafic intrusives. Outcrops are typically sparse and confined to ridge tops with colluvium and mottled laterite blanketing much of the undulating terrain making geological mapping challenging. The hills are often separated by broad, sandy drainages.
The mineralised pegmatite intrusions generally occur as sub-vertical bodies with two dominant trends as briefly outlined earlier: either striking north-northeast (Ewoyaa Main) and dipping sub-vertically to moderately southeast to east-southeast, or striking west-northwest to east-west (Abonko, Kaampakrom, Anokyi, Okwesi, Grasscutter and Ewoyaa Northeast) dipping sub-vertically to moderately northeast or north. Pegmatite thickness varies across the Project, with thinner mineralised units intersected at Abonko and Kaampakrom between 4m and 12m; and thicker units intersected at Ewoyaa Main between 30m and 60m, and up to 100m at surface.
The mineralisation at Ewoyaa has been confirmed to be associated with spodumene-bearing pegmatite as the main lithium bearing mineral. No petalite or lepidolite have been observed in any of the resource RC and diamond core drill logging. ........
Summary:
The Project comprises eight main deposits including Ewoyaa, Okwesi, Anokyi, Grasscutter, Abonko, Kaampakrom, Sill and Bypass. Deposits are broadly 4km apart, spread out over approximately 8km2. Two waste dumps will be constructed west and northeast of Ewoyaa Main pit.
Conventional open pit mining methods of drill and blast followed by load and haul will be employed at the Project. Drilling and blasting will be performed on benches between 5m and 10m high. Mining equipment will likely consist of 100t to 200t hydraulic excavators and 90t to 150t off-highway dump trucks, supported by standard open-cut drilling and auxiliary equipment. A contract mining model will be employed under the supervision of an Atlantic Lithium mining management team.
Mining operations are scheduled to work 365 days in a year, less unscheduled delays such as high rainfall events. The mine workforce will operate on a two shift, three panel roster, seven days a week, in two 12 hour working shifts.
WASTE DUMPS
The mine generates 382Mt of waste or about 195Mm3 at a swell factor of 25%. Two waste dumps with a total capacity of about 190Mm3 have been designed, with some waste to be backfilled into the southern end of the Ewoyaa Main pit. The Western waste dump reaches a maximum height of 70mRL, covers about 34Ha and has a capacity of approximately 6.5Mm3. The North-eastern waste dump reaches a maximum height of 95mRL, covers about 340Ha and has a capacity of approximately ........
Source:
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Pipelines and Water Supply
Source:
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Projected Production:
Over the life of mine, the Ewoyaa Project is estimated to produce 1,792,222t of 6% (SC6) and 1,792,195t of 5.5% (SC5.5) grade spodumene concentrate. The average Whole Ore Recovery for SC6 is 62.1%, and for SC5.5 is 67.2%.
Commodity | Product | Units | Avg. Annual | LOM |
Spodumene
|
Concentrate
|
kt
| 350 | 3,600 |
Li2O
|
|
t
| | ...... |
Lithium
|
Fines
|
t
| | ...... |
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | |
Annual processing capacity
| ...... |
Stripping / waste ratio
| ...... |
Waste tonnes, LOM
| ...... |
Ore tonnes mined, LOM
| ...... |
Total tonnes mined, LOM
| ...... |
Tonnes processed, LOM
| ...... |
* According to 2023 study.
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Reserves at June 16, 2023:
Mineral Resources and Reserves estimated at a 0.5% Li2O cut-off.
Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Probable
|
25.6 Mt
|
Li2O
|
1.22 %
|
|
Measured
|
3.5 Mt
|
Li2O
|
1.37 %
|
48 kt
|
Indicated
|
24.5 Mt
|
Li2O
|
1.25 %
|
307 kt
|
Inferred
|
7.4 Mt
|
Li2O
|
1.16 %
|
86 kt
|
Total Resource
|
35.3 Mt
|
Li2O
|
1.25 %
|
440 kt
|
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