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Lithium mining isn't like gold/iron/other metal mining. It's more like salt harvesting. So trucking away loads of dirt/salt/rock/ore to a processing plant isn't
by goblinux 5y ago
Lithium mining isn't like gold/iron/other metal mining. It's more like salt harvesting. So trucking away loads of dirt/salt/rock/ore to a processing plant isn't viable. You have to process it on site which means huge ponds for evaporation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8-YDMzg2bY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8-YDMzg2bY
Interesting video on the Lithium extraction
- panick21_ 5y agoThis is not correct. Lithium Spodumene Ore is often transported from West Australia to China for processing.
- ineedasername 5y agoDo processing facilities like this exist closer to Maine than China? If not, a new one would need to be built, so I think the GP is still generally correct about the local impacts.
- rmm 5y agoTianqi built a converter in Kwinana for hydroxide (I was part of the build). But yeah you are correct for all the other small mines all sell to converters in China often through offtake agreements.
- panick21_ 5y agoI knew there were projects going on didn't know any of them were done yet.
- sanxiyn 5y agoAs I understand, Kwinana plant is done but closed for now. I found a Reuters article dated 2020-03-23, China's Tianqi postpones commissioning of Australia lithium plant amid liquidity problems. https://www.reuters.com/article/tianqilithium-australia-idUSL4N2BF0DE https://www.reuters.com/article/tianqilithium-australia-idUS...
- rmm 5y agoYour thinking of salars not hard rock deposits