Galan Lithium Limited reported that Argentina’s Catamarca Ministro – Ministerio de Mineria (Mine Department Minister) granted the company the initial licences for the Phase 1 development of the Hombre Muerto West (HMW) lithium brine project on Friday, 23 June.
The permits allow for the development of pre-construction operations, such as the commissioning of the new camp, removing topsoil, and preliminary testing to ensure the ground condition. Galan will be ready to accelerate the construction of the Phase 1 ponds once these operations are completed.
The HMW DFS has been divided into two phases, as previously reported. The initial Phase 1 of the DFS focuses on manufacturing a lithium chloride concentrate, as specified by the recently issued production licences. The optimisation work continues, and the Phase 2 DFS will be released in August/September 2023, addressing a complete 20ktpa LCE production rate.
Galan’s Managing Director, Juan Pablo (JP) Vargas de la Vega, commented: “Galan would firstly like to acknowledge and sincerely thank the Government of the Catamarca Province in Argentina for their continued support in walking with us to bring about this first major approval in the development of the initial production phase for the HMW Project. They have been both professional and committed through the whole approval process.”
“This next development phase of the HMW Project will also continue Galan’s proud engagement of local contractors and communities within the Catamarca province. These are exciting times for Galan and its shareholders as we strive to get the HMW Project into its initial production phase,” de la Vega said.
