ASX-listed boron and lithium company 5E Advanced Materials has officially begun mining operations at its 5E Boron Americas Complex with the start of the wellfield injection process.
In an ASX announcement, the company said it is now working under its EPA UIC permit to extract valuable minerals from its wholly-owned project at Fort Cady, California.
Through wellfield operations, 5E Advanced Materials aims to complete outstanding operational items at the facility in parallel.
The company expects to begin lab production in the short term and production of boric acid and lithium carbonate from the small-scale facility by the end of the first calendar quarter of 2024.
The initial production will be used for customer qualification as the company seeks to obtain bankable offtake agreements and future sales to support FEL 2 engineering as the company focuses on a commercial scale.
“We are excited about reaching this major milestone through the launch of mining operations today at our 5E Boron Americas Complex. The 5E team has been resilient through the construction process, navigating several challenges and ultimately bringing our facility on-line,” said Susan Brennan, CEO of 5E Advanced Materials.
“We look forward to 2024 as we continue advancing our vision as we now become the newest domestic producer of boric acid and lithium carbonate,” Brennan added.
5E Advanced Materials seeks to become a global leader and provider of boron specialty and advanced materials, supplying critical materials to industries addressing global decarbonisation, food, and domestic security.
The company’s boron and lithium products will target applications in the fields of transportation, clean energy infrastructure, and domestic security.
