Piedmont Lithium (ASX:PLL) has regained some of yesterday’s losses after partially addressing claims the company repeatedly delayed seeking approval from Gaston County in North Carolina for its proposed lithium mine.
“We confirmed last night that we would submit our North Carolina state mining permit application in August 2021 as planned,” president and CEO Keith Phillips said.
The definitive feasibility study is expected in September and the economic impact study in October.
In response to the delays which caused Gibbs Law Group to investigate a potential Piedmont Lithium Class Action Lawsuit on behalf of investors who lost money in the company, Phillips said that although it received important federal permits for the project in 2019 the “upcoming state mining permit and county rezoning applications could only advance once our definitive plans were established.”
“Our project has evolved significantly over the past four years – we have selected more efficient and environmentally friendly technology, and fully integrated our business plan into a single campus in Gaston County, North Carolina,” he said.
“These project improvements have resulted in adjustments to our plans and, with the results of our recent studies and improved lithium markets, we’re excited to move forward with the state and local approval process.”
In other ASX battery stock news:
Australian Vanadium (ASX:AVL) is awarded $3.69 million federal grant.
The company has nabbed a matched funding grant under the Australian Government’s Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Processing National Manufacturing Priority roadmap to design, build and operate an Australian vanadium battery electrolyte plant and develop local vanadium redox flow battery prototypes.
The funding will support AVL’s plans to:
- Include a high-purity processing circuit to produce battery, chemical and master- alloy grade vanadium pentoxide as part of the development of the Australian vanadium project;
- Build and operate a commercial vanadium electrolyte plant based in WA, to support the rollout of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) in Australia; and
- Manufacture prototype/demonstration residential and stand-alone power systems (SPS) based on VRFB technology, for distribution into Australian energy markets.
Blackstone Minerals (ASX:BSX) produces first batch of battery grade NCM samples.
The company has produced its first batch of battery grade nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) 811 precursor sample using a nickel concentrate blend that includes material from its Ban Phuc disseminated sulphide (DSS) orebody (and other third-party feed (3PF) feed sources).
It’s kind of a big deal because the sample achieved a NCM purity of >99.7%.
The company also confirmed that the PFS for the development of a downstream refinery in Northern Vietnam will be released on 26 July 2021.
Lepidico’s (ASX:LPD) chemical plant has low carbon footprint.
The company’s scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity associated with its Abu Dhabi Phase 1 chemical plant is just 7.46t CO2-e2/ t lithium hydroxide – which independent consultant GHD advised as being, “low compared with other emission intensities reported or derived from lithium hydroxide production facilities.”
Similar emissions associated with mining and the mineral concentration plant gave an emissions intensity of 0.13 tCO2-e/ t concentrate, which GHD said is “comparable with other similar lithium mine and concentrator projects.”
Prospect Resources (ASX:PSC) increases ownership in Arcadia lithium project.
The company has completed the transaction to increase its ownership in the Arcadia lithium project by 17% to 87%.
“Completing the Farvic transaction provides an immediate benefit to Prospect Resources as it now owns an additional 17% of the quality Arcadia lithium project,” managing director Sam Hosack said.
“The increase in ownership will have a major positive impact on our funding of the Arcadia Lithium project.”
Cobalt play Jervois Mining (ASX:JRV) settles bond offering, purchases ICO camp.
The company’s subsidiary has settled its US$100 million bond offering with net proceeds to fund construction of its 100%-owned Idaho Cobalt Operation (ICO) and enter production.
The bond offering is repayable in mid-2026 and preserves commercial flexibility through ICO construction by not obliging Jervois to irrevocably commit cobalt supply early.
Jervois has also purchased a 100-person accommodation camp with initial commissioning expected in Q4 2021 to support ICO construction ahead of expected mine commissioning in mid-2022.