The Government of Quebec extended the validity of Canada-based Arianne Phosphate's development approval for two more years while the emerging phosphate mining company pursues a longer extension request for its project in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.
Arianne's Lac à Paul project was granted its initial development in December 2015 from the Quebec government with a valid period of 10 years. The project aims to develop phosphate deposits that will produce a "high-quality" igneous apatite concentrate grading 39pc P2O5 with little to no contaminants, according to Arianne.
The Quebec minister will use the two-year period to consider Arianne's request for up to a five-year development extension.
Conversations between Arianne and the Ministry of Environment began in 2024 for a permit extension, where several required studies were submitted, the company said.
"This extension provides the industry and potential partners with the comfort they need to advance the project's development and address the need for this critical mineral," chief operating officer Raphael Gaudreault said.
The Lac à Paul project is the only fully permitted greenfield phosphate project in North America. The phosphate deposit's igneous rock allows for easy transformation of its high-purity, low contaminant phosphate concentrate into purified phosphoric acid, a necessary ingredient for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, Arianne said.
