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Lithium Australia on a batteries journey

Last updated: 13:45 12 Mar 2019 AEDT, First published: 22:45 11 Mar 2019 AEDT

Snapshot

Recent results show high-quality lithium-ion batteries can be generated from mine waste using its process.

Lithium Australia aspires to ‘close the loop’ on the energy-metal cycle
  • The company’s SiLeach process allows unconventional sources of lithium to be processed
  • Lithium Australia has had recent successes with the process after quality lithium-ion batteries were generated from mine waste
  • The company is advancing the Sadisdorf JV project in Saxony, Germany

What does Lithium Australia do?

Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT) specialises in disruptive extraction technology development and lithium portfolio acquisition. It is run by Adrian Griffin, a geologist and metallurgist with 42 years experience in the mining industry who has led and chaired companies over the past 33 years.

What does Lithium Australia own?

The key disruptive technology is the SiLeach process, with products produced from the process expected to have an influence the economic potential of the company’s Sadisdorf project in Germany.

Last week the company unveiled recent successes for the process after high-quality lithium-ion batteries were generated from mine waste at its SiLeach Gen-2 pilot plant, without using lithium hydroxide or carbonate.

The refining process will be integrated into its SiLeach Gen-3 pilot plant.

Lithium Australia has holdings in lithium provinces around the globe, including Western Australia, North America and a second project in Germany.

The company also wholly owns Brisbane cathode powder plant operator VSPC Ltd.

It hopes to “close the loop” on the energy-metal cycle by having business operations in all parts of the cycle.

Last week the company committed to investing further funds into its work to commercialise operations at the Sadisdorf Lithium-Tin Project in Saxony

Sadisdorf consists is about 20 kilometres south of the state capital of Dresden and €750,000 ($1.2 million) on exploration activity has already been spent at the project.

Lithium Australia can wholly acquire the project which is a joint venture withseller  Tin International AG.

The Sadisdorf sales contract also comes with a nearby exploration licence known as Hegelshöhe.

Lithium Australia has produced lithium from unconventional sources such as mine waste with its SiLeach metallurgical process route.

It hopes to produce price-competitive cathode powders for lithium-ion batteries in Europe.

Lithium Australia believes its successful test results from the SiLeach process warrant a further tip-in of funds and was to hold a technical workshop in Germany this month.

The company had $11 million cash at the end of the December quarter and expects $3.6 million of cash outflows in the March quarter.

It has budgeted $567,000 for exploration and evaluation and $1.9 million for development.

Inflection points

  • Further SiLeach metallurgical process route demonstrations of use on unconventional sources

  • Exploration successes in Germany and further afield to demonstrate resources held in unconventional sources or in ground

  • Uptake of the SiLeach process by competitors or the wider industry

  • Milestone achievements of company’s 100%-owned subsidiary, Brisbane cathode powder plant operator VSPC Ltd

  • Investor buy-in to Lithium Australia’s registry

Managing director Adrian Griffin confident of the potential at Sadisdorf

“Sadisdorf presents a significant opportunity to advance an unconventional lithium resource to the status of a strategic asset,” Lithium Australia Managing director Adrian Griffin said.

“The plan is to downstream-process via our proprietary VSPC technology to produce cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

“Lithium Australia is the first company in the world to produce lithium-ion batteries from the types of material available at Sadisdorf, and we look forward to advancing this operation to commercialisation.”

VSPC and Lithium Australia managing director Adrian Griffin will give an address titled “Lithium Australia’s journey through batteries” in Perth today at 2.40pm (11.40am local time) on day 1 of the March 12-13 Paydirt's Battery Minerals Conference. Tomorrow he will take part in a closing panel discussion at 3.20pm (12.20pm WST).

 

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