Australia currently produces approximately 43% of the world’s lithium through mining, based on contained lithium tonnes and contains approximately 17% of the world’s reserves (USGS 2018). A significant source and reserve of lithium is from the Salars in South America. Australia’s only source of lithium is from the mineral spodumene (Li2O.Al2O3.4SiO2) present in LCT pegmatites (Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum). Spodumene is beneficiated from these ores by Dense Medium Separation (DMS) at coarse sizes and flotation at fine sizes to produce concentrates typically above 6% Li2O.
Batteries use almost half of the world’s current production of lithium at 46% followed by ceramics and glass at 27% and then greases at 7% (USGS 2018). Spodumene is required to be processed into either lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide for use in batteries. Tianqi Lithium are currently completing construction a lithium hydroxide plant at Kwinana, with construction already started on the expansion to double capacity to 48,000 tonnes a year. A JV between SQM and Kidman Resources has chosen Kwinana as site for a 44,000 tonnes a year of lithium hydroxide refinery.
Range of Capabilities:
- Metallurgical testplans
- Project management
- Metallurgical summary reports
- Flowsheets
- Mass balances
- P&IDs
- Vendor evaluation
- Project implementation
- Engineering studies
- Environmental studies
- Process description/Equipment lists
- Detailed design
Please send through your enquiry today via email to info@metsengineering.com and we will call you to discuss your project.
Project Experience:
| Client | Project | Service |
|---|---|---|
| Altura | Pilgangoora Project | PFS Metallurgical Testwork |
| Altura | Pilgangoora Project | Scoping Study |
| Talison | Greenbushes | Spodumene Metallurgical Testwork |
| Snowden | Lithium Project | Project Due Diligence |
| Galaxy Resources | Mt Catlin | Due Diligence |
| Galaxy Resources | Shanghai Refinery | Due Diligence |
| Galaxy Resources | Brine Project | Due Diligence |
| Confidential | Lithium Project | Due Diligence for Bank Finance |
| Confidential | Confidential | Lepidolite Testwork |
| CPR Talison | Greenbushes | Due Diligence |
| Viking Ashanti | Thailand | Lithium |
| Confidential | Bene Project | Lepidolite |
| Confidential | Confidential | Due Diligence for Bank Finance |
| Confidential | Confidential | Spodumene Processing |
| Viking Mines | Confidential | Lepidolite |
| Confidential | Confidential | Lithium Testwork |
| Confidential | Confidential | Lithium Clay Review |
| Confidential | Brine Project | Due Diligence |
| ALTA | Lithium Course | Training |
| Bain Capital | Project Stark | Due Diligence Report |
| RCF Capital | Altura Lithium Project | Due Diligence Report |
| RCF Capital | Pilbara Minerals Lithium Project | Due Diligence Report |
Sharing Our Knowledge:
Lithium Processing Course
There are many benefits of attending this course. Participants will improve their knowledge on the uses of and processing and production of lithium. The course assumes no prior knowledge and is available for anyone in the industry. Read more about our course here.