- Liontown Resources (LTR) successfully produces ‘premium’ 6 per cent lithium and tantalum concentrate samples
- The company recently completed a bulk sampling program using mineralised pegmatite from its Kathleen Valley project in WA
- The work aimed to support current offtake discussions and provide feedstock for an upcoming lithium hydrometallurgical testwork program
- Liontown Resources says the results reinforce Kathleen Valley’s potential to host a leading lithium-tantalum mining and processing operation
- Company shares are trading steady at $1.86
Liontown Resources (LTR) has completed a spodumene concentrate production program using a bulk sample from its Kathleen Valley project in Western Australia.
The company collected a five-tonne representative mineralised pegmatite sample from the project. This work aimed to produce high-grade lithium dioxide concentrate and tantalum concentrate to support current offtake negotiations.
The work will also help to provide feedstock for a proposed lithium hydroxide hydrometallurgical testwork program.
Positively for Liontown, the pilot-scale program achieved its goal and produced spodumene concentrate and tantalum concentrate at a premium grade of 6 per cent. The company said this outcome further supported the potential to develop a leading lithium-tantalum mining and processing operation at Kathleen Valley.
Managing Director and CEO Tony Ottaviano commented on the testwork results.
“The bulk sample testwork program is a key component of our thorough and exhaustive metallurgical testwork program for Kathleen Valley which continues to demonstrate Liontown’s commitment to evidence-based design,” he said.
“The final product from the program will enable Liontown’s potential customers to test and pre-qualify our high-quality spodumene for operating in their refinery or toll-treaters. The product will also be used to support future detailed design engineering of both our tantalum circuit and downstream lithium hydroxide refinery.”
The planned hydrometallurgical testwork program is expected to begin next month as part of Liontown Resources’ downstream pre-feasibility study.
Company shares were trading steady at $1.86 at 1:49 pm AEDT.