The 3Q Project

...
...
...
...
Previous Next

Project Summary

  • World class asset base on the top three metrics:
    • Top 5 largest lithium brine deposit in the world
    • Top 3 highest lithium brine grade in the world.
    • Lowest combined sulfate and magnesium impurities worldwide.
  • PFS results show after tax NPV8% of over US$1.1B and 50% IRR
  • Located in the lithium triangle, where over 40% of the global lithium is produced.
  • Neo Lithium controls 100% of the project and the salar basin.
  • No inhabitants or aboriginal communities in the area.
  • Fully permitted up to construction.
  • Tax Stability Agreement granted by Federal Government for 30 years.

Download Our Latest Technical Report

Amended Prefeasibility Study (PFS) - Tres Quebradas Project May 7, 2019

Work completed to 2020

ha
PROPERTY
Km
SEISMIC REFLECTION SURVEY
DRILL HOLES
LONG TERM PUMP TEST COMPLETED
lts/sec
PRODUCTION WELL MAXIMUM YIELD

Location and Access

Hosted in the mining friendly Catamarca Province, the largest and oldest Lithium producing province in Argentina.

Located at 4000 meters above the sea level, 30kms from the Chilean border, with direct road access to pacific ports by highway and to Atlantic ports through highways and railroad.

The closest population centre to the Project is the town of Fiambalá, Argentina (population 5,000), located 100 km east of the Project.

Resource and Reserves

Mt LCE
Measured and indicates resources
Mt LCE
Inferred Resources
Mt LCE
Proven and Probable Reserves
mg/l Lithium
Average grade over the first 10 years of production.
mg/l Lithium
Average grade from 10 to 20 years of production.
mg/l Lithium
Average grade in 35 years of production.
Impurities:
Mg/Li:
Sulfate/Li:

Large throughput and/or mine life expansion capabilities: 32% or resources used.

The resources go down to over 647 m depth in most of the deposit but reserves only go down to the upper aquifer in the shallow 100 metres depth.

Plenty of upside to increase reserves on the large, inferred resource at depth.

Northern High-grade zone allows to start production at higher grade with smaller ponds (lower Capex) and move south to lower grade over time.

Year Brine Volume
(Mn3)		 Avernage Li concentrartion (mg/l) Li metal (tonnes) LCE (tonnes) *M&I Resources (%)
1 3.3 1.77 1.113 2.542 5.923 13.526 0.5%
2-10 73 1.000 21.549 44.038 114.642 234.282 9%
11-20 101 841 20.211 53.472 107.524 284.472 10%
21-35 183 670 18.694 81.513 99.453 433.651 13%
Total 35
years production**		 360 790 61.600 182.000 328.000 966.000 32%
1- The Mineral Reserve Estimate has an effective date of May 7, 2019 as the NI 43-101 Preliminary Feasibility Study.
2- The Mineral Reserve Estimate was supported by a numerical groundwater flow and transport model constructed with Finite Element code (FEEFLOW)
3- The Model was calibrated to quasi steady state conditions.
4- Reserve Estimates numbers have been rounded.
5- Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) is calculated using mass of LCE = 5.3228 multiplied by the mass of Lithium Metal.

Pond Pilot Plant

Production scale pilot evaporation ponds in production for almost 2 years.
Evaporation proven to produce up to 3.6% Li concentrated brine.
Very low impurities – no consumption of reagents, resulting in lower cost to operate than other brines.
Automated thickeners to remove calcium chloride with physical parameters monitoring 24/7
...
...
...
Previous Next
...
...
...
...
...
...
Previous Next

Lithium Carbonate Pilot Plant

1:500 scale pilot plant in operation for over one year
Process improved from the original PFS
Battery grade already achieved
Simplified, Innovative 6 steps process

Lithium Carbonate Production

Battery grade lithium carbonate with 99.599% purity achieved.
12 batches of lithium carbonate produced thus far.
Next steps include multiple batch production.
Consultation with battery producers for impurity threshold and product certification.
...
...
...
Previous Next

3Q Process

In May 2019 GHD Chile and Groundwater insight Canada completed a 43-101 Independent Technical Report and Prefeasibility Study The report provides a comprehensive assessment of geological, technical, engineering, operational, logistics and the economic analysis of the 3Q Project The economic analysis is based on average lithium carbonate pricing over the life of mine is ~US$11,882/t Results Show very low capital intensity of < US$16,000/t of installed capacity

PFS Highlights and Results
After-Tax Net Present Value ("NPV") @ 8% Discount Rate $1,144 million
After-Tax Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") 49,9%
Initial Capital Expendidures $319 million
Cash Operating Costs (per tonne of LCE) $2,914
Steady-state Annual Production (lithium carbonate) 20,000
Mine Life 35 years
Average annual EBITDA* $167 million
Payback Period (from commencement of production) 1 year 8 month

*EBITDA is a non-IFRS earnings measure which does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to EBITDA presented by other companies. EBITDA represents earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. Investors are cautioned that this non-IFRS financial measure should not be construed as an alternative to other measures of financial performance calculated in accordance with IFRS.

Educational Videos