Piedmont completes federal permits for US Li project

Australia-based Piedmont Lithium has received all US federal approvals for its project comprising concentrate and chemical processing in North Carolina, clearing the way for it to become an integrated spodumene-hydroxide lithium producer.

The air permit received from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality for its proposed downstream chemical plant leaves it needing only a state mining licence and rezoning approval, which is expected in the first half of 2021, Piedmonth said.

The company in September announced a conditional five-year offtake deal with US-based electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla for around a third of its expected 160,000 t/yr lithium concentrate output, with deliveries expected to start between July 2022 and July 2023. It is also planning to operate a 22,700 t/yr lithium hydroxide plant.

Piedmont earlier this week commissioned the definitive feasibility study for the integrated project, positioning it to start construction in mid-2021 to meet an expected rise in lithium hydroxide demand from 2022-23 onwards.

By Angus Macmillan