Altura on track for lithium offtake in August

Perth-based lithium developer Altura Mining has produced the first lithium concentrate at its Altura project in Western Australia (WA) and is on track to make its first offtake delivery in August.

Altura has produced concentrate grading 6.75pc lithium oxide that meets the specifications for deliveries to Chinese offtake partner Lionergy, 16 months after it broke ground at the project site.

Commissioning processes are nearing completion and production is ramping up towards achieving full first-stage output of 220,000 t/yr over the next six months, the company said.

Lionergy has indicated that it wants to receive as much as possible of the 100,000 t/yr minimum allocation under the offtake agreement.

A definitive feasibility study on establishing a second stage for the project to double output to 440,000 t/yr has been completed. An investment decision is expected by the end of this year.

Altura is the second major WA hard rock lithium project to start producing lithium concentrate this month following Pilbara Minerals' Pilgangoora project, which will also start offtake deliveries to China in August.