Australia's Pilbara eyes higher lithium recovery rates

Australian lithium developer Pilbara Minerals produced 174,852 dry metric tonnes (dmt) of lithium concentrate in its July 2018-June 2019 fiscal year and expects to achieve targeted recovery rates in the first half of 2019-20.

Lithia recovery rates from stage one of the Pilgangoora project in Western Australia reached 55pc by the end of the April-June quarter and are expected to reach the design rate of 75pc by the end of December, the company said in its latest production report.

Shipments of lithium concentrate in 2018-19, the first production year of the project, totalled 128,373t to Chinese offtake partners, grading 6pc lithium oxide. This was complemented by 205,766 wet metric tonnes (wmt) of direct shipping ore, also to China, to provide early cash flow. The mine also produced 180,077lbs of tantalite pentoxide in 2018-19, of which 104,062lbs was sold.

A fines product circuit is scheduled to be added to the plant in October-December as part of an optimisation programme, which will also focus on identifying debottlenecking opportunities.

Pilbara is moderating its production and sales until October because of delays in the commissioning of chemical conversion plants by its major Chinese offtake partners, Ganfeng Lithium and General Lithium. Production and sales are expected to return to plant capacity in October-December.