The Canadian lithium exploration and development mining company has awarded a contract to DRA Americas to undertake the mine and mill scope
Frontier Lithium initiates DFS for the PAK lithium project in Ontario. (Credit: Khusen Rustamov from Pixabay)
Frontier Lithium said that it has started the first phase of the definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its fully-owned PAK lithium project in Ontario, Canada.
In this regard, the Canadian lithium exploration and development mining company has engaged DRA Americas to undertake the mine and mill scope. DRA Americas is a 100% subsidiary of DRA Global, a multi-disciplinary engineering, project delivery and operations management group.
In July 2023, Frontier Lithium released results from the preliminary feasibility study (PFS) on the PAK lithium project. As per the PFS, the open-pit lithium project located in Red Lake would entail total initial capital expenditure of $468m.
It will have a 24-year total project life, with after-tax pay back of capital expenditures within five years after achieving commercial production.
According to Frontier Lithium, the fully integrated mine, mill, and refinery plan outlined in the PFS will undergo further examination at the DFS level. The mine and mill component is expected to conclude in the coming 12-18 months, said the company.
The plan calls for the establishment of a mining and milling facility with an estimated annual production capacity of 200,000 metric tonnes of spodumene concentrate. This will be implemented in two distinct stages, with the first being Winter Road Access and the second named All Season Road Access.
Frontier Lithium stated: “Implementing this phased construction approach serves to mitigate project risks, capitalize on existing infrastructure, and focuses the Company on short-term concentrate production goals.
“Additionally, this strategy will aim to minimise potential delays associated with all-season road construction, and to provide a more streamlined path with options for operational success.”
Frontier Lithium said that it continues to be fully financed for the execution of the first phase of DFS.
The PAK lithium project encompasses an area of nearly 27,000ha, with much of it remaining largely unexplored.
However, since 2013, Frontier Lithium has identified two high-quality spodumene-bearing lithium deposits, namely PAK and Spark, which are situated 2.3km apart.
Ongoing exploration of the project has led to the discovery of two more spodumene-bearing deposits, namely the Bolt pegmatite and the Pennock pegmatite.