Nemaska Lithium to Start Processing Lithium at Its Whabouchi Mine, Quebec
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Nemaska Lithium Inc. has updated activities at its Whabouchi mine site at Shawinigan, Quebec.
CONCENTRATE PRODUCTION
Nemaska Lithium continues to produce 6 percent+ Li2O spodumene concentrate, using a Dense Media Separation (DMS) Modular Mill at the Whabouchi mine site.
Since March 8, 2017 and up to April 26, 2017, approximately 2,300 tonnes of ore were processed through the DMS plant with an average head grade of over 1.7 percent Li2O. For testing purposes, two composite concentrate samples were taken daily over a 12-hour shift. To create each composite sample, a total of 6 sections were taken hourly and homogenized together, from which 1 kg of material was sent to an external laboratory for testing.
The assay results received up to April 24, 2017 returned an average grade of 6.1 percent Li2O for the dense media concentrate. The fines (more finely crushed ore that is not suitable for DMS processing), had an average grade of 1.3 percent Li2O. All the fines have been shipped to SGS Lakefield for concentrate production via flotation circuit. The results of the concentrate production from flotation are expected in July, 2017.
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
Building construction continues at the Whabouchi Mine with the latest installation of the administrative offices planned during the month of May 2017 with targeted completion in June 2017. This building is in addition to the commercial concentrator building that was built in 2016. The maintenance garage is scheduled for construction later this year and is the last of the major mine buildings to be built.
PHASE 1 PLANT COMMISSIONING
Below are the steps that have been completed to date as well as upcoming steps:
Step 1 - Pressure Testing and Electrical Systems Start-up - Completed
Step 2 - Membrane Electrolysis Start-Up - Completed
Step 3 - Hydromet Start-Up - Completed
Step 4 - Lithium Hydroxide Samples sent to a client - Ongoing
Step 5 - Crystallization - Ongoing
The crystalliser construction and installation is completed and wet commissioning has commenced. Nemaska Lithium expects to start processing lithium hydroxide solution in early May and is targeting to send a second shipment of lithium hydroxide to a client by June 2017.
Step 6 - Lithium Hydroxide from Whabouchi Concentrate - On Target
The corporation is on target to complete construction of the Phase 1 Plant by June 2017 and intends to start processing spodumene concentrate from the Whabouchi Mine into lithium hydroxide samples in July 2017 following the commissioning of the calcination and roasting sections of the process. These lithium hydroxide samples will be sent to numerous potential customers globally.
About Nemaska Lithium
Nemaska Lithium intends to become a lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate supplier to the emerging lithium battery market that is largely driven by electric vehicles, cell phones, tablets and other consumer products. The corporation is developing in Quebec one of the most important spodumene lithium hard rock deposit in the world, both in volume and grade. The spodumene concentrate produced at Nemaska Lithium’s Whabouchi mine will be shipped to the corporation’s lithium compounds processing plant to be built in Shawinigan, Quebec. This plant will transform spodumene concentrate into high purity lithium hydroxide and carbonate using the proprietary methods developed by the corporation, and for which the corporation holds four granted patents and several patent applications that are pending in different countries, covering different aspects and improvements of its proprietary technology for preparing high purity lithium hydroxide and carbonate.
To stop by Nemaska Lithium’s website, CLICK HERE
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