Power Minerals kicks-off economic assessment at Salta lithium project
Power Minerals plans to complete PEAs for the Rincon, Incahuasi and Pocitos salars within its wider Salta lithium brine project in Argentina.
The Salta lithium brine project in Argentina has moved along to another stage with Power Minerals (ASX: PNN) launching a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) at Rincon salar— one of its three salars (or salt flats) currently under exploration and development.
The PEA will also be expanded to incorporate a planned mineral resource upgrade after drilling at Rincon is completed.
Rincon is Power’s most advanced salar within the Salta project – hosting an existing mineral resource and having the highest-grade lithium of the three.
The PEA will assess the production and life-of-mine profile for Rincon to create a “high quality” lithium carbonate equivalent operation at the salar.
Under evaluation will be producing a minimum 2,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate equivalent at Rincon.
PEA will involve Chinese downstream partner
The PEA is being undertaken by Golder Associates, which Power describes as being a global tier one mining and engineering consulting firm. It is a division of New York-based engineering company WSP Global.
Golder will be working in conjunction with Power’s partner, China’s Sunresin New Materials which has developed a direct lithium extraction (DLE) process for the Salta brine.
In October, Sunresin tested brine samples from the Salta project and then confirmed that the brine was compatible with technology used at the Shaanxi province-based company’s plant. This opens the way for development at Salta without the use of evaporation ponds
The Chinese company, from the samples, successfully produced a lithium concentrate. Sunresin’s DLE technology extracts lithium from various brine grades and, says Power, delivers high recoveries, low costs and expedited processing times
Economic studies on other salars to follow
Power says it plans to undertake PEAs on the other two salars after completing Rincon’s, as the company seeks to fast-track development.
The studies on the other salars will also contemplate a minimum output of 2,000tpa lithium carbonate equivalent for a total of 6,000tpa across all three.
Power executive director Mena Habib said that, meanwhile, drilling is ongoing at Incahuasi salar and has delivered “highly positive” initial results.
Incahuasi is located adjacent to the ground held by Ganfeng Lithium, the world’s third largest and China’s largest lithium compounds producer and the world’s largest lithium metals producer in terms of production.
The Salta project in the Salta province of Argentina consists of five salars within seven mining leases totalling 147,07sq km. Apart from Rincon, Power is developing the Incahuasi and Pocitos salars in parallel with the work at Rincon.