Sayona Mining Limited announced the resumption of spodumene (lithium) production at its North American Lithium (NAL) operation in Canada, with the successful start-up of process operations.
Following the conclusion of commissioning activities, the processing start-up included the circulation of ore through the entire system, from crushing to sorting, grinding, and separation.
The restart is proceeding on schedule and within budget, with the first saleable lithium concentrate planned for late March 2023. According to Sayona, this would be a significant achievement for Sayona and Québec as North America’s leading hard rock lithium producer. Sayona said the announcement continues its twice-monthly updates as the company moves closer to production.
The first shipment of spodumene (lithium) concentrate from NAL is expected in July 2023, with four additional cargoes planned for the first half of fiscal 2024. At this time, Sayona expects total production to range between 85,000 and 115,000 tonnes.
“Congratulations to the entire Sayona team for the continued progress towards NAL’s restart, which has been an incredible achievement,” Sayona Managing Director Brett Lynch said.
Lynch stated that with the production of marketable lithium concentrate just days away, it is an exciting time for Sayona and Québec as the company seek to build the leading integrated lithium production centre in North America.
Meanwhile, Sayona has voluntarily submitted its Authier Lithium Project for environmental impact assessment and evaluation through the Québec Government’s ‘BAPE’ (Bureau d’audiences publiques en environnement) procedure, underscoring the Company’s commitment to transparency and stakeholder participation. Sayona reported that its request had been accepted by Québec’s Ministry of the Environment, Climate Change, Wildlife, and Parks.
The move comes on the heels of Sayona’s 2021 acquisition of the nearby NAL operation, which is set to restart spodumene (lithium) production in March 2023. The acquisition of NAL has allowed for a shift in approach towards the Authier project, which will provide spodumene ore to the NAL concentrator.
As a result, Authier no longer requires its own concentrator or tailings storage, and with planned daily output below the 2,000 tonnes threshold, the environmental effect is significantly reduced compared to the initial regulatory filing.
“The Government has agreed today to our request for the voluntary submission of the Authier project to the environmental impact assessment and review process. We are committed to our host communities and are continuing our discussions, with the goal of developing a collaborative project and making it a source of pride for our communities,” Sayona in Québec CEO Guy Belleau said.
Sayona Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Cindy Valence added, “Always with the objective of ensuring harmonious cohabitation between our projects and their localities, we continue to meet with the host communities to remain attentive to the expectations and concerns of citizens. In addition, a continuous improvement committee has been created to work jointly on the development of the project to implement best practice, thus enhancing the value of local lithium in a responsible manner.”
Lynch stated that Sayona’s dedication to sustainability reflects the crucial role lithium plays in driving the global decarbonisation effort.
“We look forward to progressing the BAPE progress for Authier in a transparent manner that ensures the best possible environmental and community outcomes,” Lynch said.
