Birimian, already steaming toward development of its Goulamina lithium project in Mali, is moulding a new specialist mining management team to maximise its potential.

Birimian (ASX:BGS) named mining boss Dr Alistair Cowden as its new non-executive chairman.

Currently director of Copper Mountain (ASX:C6C), Dr Cowden has spent 35 years as a mining executive, director and geologist in Australia, Asia, Europe – and Africa.

He has founded a bunch of public companies including Altona Mining, which built, operated and then sold the small high grade Kylylahti copper-gold mine in Finland for about $133 million in 2014.

Altona also owned the large Queensland-based Eva Copper project prior to its $250 million merger with Copper Mountain in 2018.

In January, Birimian indicated it was getting serious about developing Goulamina when it appointed a key exec from freshly-minted lithium producer Altura Mining (ASX:AJM) as managing director.

As Altura chief operating officer, Chris Evans was responsible for project development, construction and bringing the Pilgangoora mine into operation.

“With Mr Evans’ very recent experience in building a producing lithium operation from the ground up, we see him as the ideal candidate to step into the role of managing director of Birimian as Goulamina moves into the development phase,” Birimian chief exec Mark Hepburn said.

During his tenure, Altura progressed from exploration to production and export, expanding from a handful of employees to more than 100 as well as utilising a large contracting workforce.

The Birimian share price over the past 12 months.
The Birimian share price over the past 12 months.

It’s Gou(lamina) time

Birimian reckons that its low cost Goulamina project in Mali is one of the world’s largest spodumene mineral resources, at 103.2 million tonnes grading 1.34 per cent lithium.

The company is undertaking a feasibility study on the project which should be done by June this year.

It’s also signed a Letter of Intent with Changsha Research Institute of Metals and Mining, a division of China Minmetals Corporation, to discuss “project finance, off take and engineering, procurement and construction matters”, the company says.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed with Chinese major General Lithium to negotiate terms of a 200,000 tonnes a year offtake agreement – about 55 per cent of Goulamina’s planned output.

General Lithium currently has an offtake agreement with hard rock producer Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) for 140,000 tonnes per year.

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