The Arcadia lithium project, in Zimbabwe, is on track to start production in the second quarter of 2019, with developer Prospect Resources appointing engineering firm DRA to provide engineering services and upfront design for the project.
Prospect said on Wednesday that certain long lead items for the Arcadia project had already been ordered, with additional equipment orders due shortly. Site preparations have also started, including land clearing in preparation for the pre-stripping to get under way and for the tailings dam to be built.
The 1.2-million-tonne-a-year process plant will produce 75 000 t/y of spodumene concentrate, ramping up to 123 000 t/y, 155 000 t/y of petalite, and 88 000 lb/y of tantalite over the 15-year mine life.
The project is estimated to require a capital investment of $52.5-million, and will deliver a life-of-mine revenue of around $2-billion.
- Mining Weekly
