The comprehensive report integrates crucial data from ABTC’s Drill Program II, shedding light on the mineral processing and metallurgical testing specifically tailored to American battery technology company‘s claystone material. Capital and operating costs for a commercial-scale 33,000-ton/year lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) facility have been meticulously outlined, providing investors and stakeholders with a detailed economic analysis spanning the project’s entire lifespan.
ABTC CEO Ryan Melsert expressed enthusiasm about the expanded analysis, stating, “We are excited to have expanded upon our Maiden Resource Report from this past Spring with this Initial Assessment to further refine the analysis of the magnitude and quality of this unconventional, domestic lithium resource.”
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The report explores two conventional processing routes for ABTC’s claystone material—Low-Temperature, Mineral Acid Process and Salt Roasting Thermal Treatment. While both exhibit unique characteristics, the economic analysis leans towards the latter due to its moderate lithium recovery, high lithium selectivity, and cost-effective purification and conversion processes.
Notably, ABTC has developed its proprietary processes for lithium extraction, purification, and conversion, which will be incorporated in future reports. The company recently concluded Drill Program III, adding valuable data for an upcoming updated mineral resource estimate and economic analysis.
TFLP Initial Assessment Highlights:
- – LHM production cost: $4,636/ton
- – Lithium refinery capital costs: $455 million
- – After-tax NPV, @10%: $4.41 billion
- – After-tax Initial Rate of Return: 65.8%
- – Project payback period: 2.4 years
- – Total 50-year project revenue: $50.0 billion
- – Lithium resource size (Inferred): 18.03 million tons LHM
- – Average lithium hydroxide monohydrate grade: 3,815 ppm
- – Total resource size: 5.4 billion tons of claystone
- – Average annual production: 33,000 tons LHM
- – Project lifetime: 50 years
The report also outlines the project’s next steps for commercialization, including the completion of Drill Program IV, the publication of a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS), and environmental reviews. ABTC remains optimistic about the project’s prospects, highlighting the support received from the U.S. Department of Energy grants and projecting a swift project payback period of 2.4 years.
