AMN - MALI: Aim to enhance Goulamina lithium reserves

Birimian Limited has started a work program aimed at enhancing resources and reserves at the Goulamina Lithium Project in Mali. The company hopes that this limited and targeted further work will further enhance the project's NPV.

The program follows an independent, third-party review of the mineral resource and ore reserve inventory.

This work has started and will include further drilling expected to begin this quarter with completion within the September quarter.

Any change to resources and reserves will also be dependent on the completion of the current metallurgical test work program and subsequent possible revision to metallurgical recovery estimates.

An internal review of the test work undertaken for the pre-feasibility study (PFS) and post PFS has been completed, with a revised test work program aimed at increasing recovery already underway.

The first stage of this is High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) test work, followed by reflux classification and flotation programs. All impacts resulting from the potential use of an HPGR will be assessed, with the target of ensuring an optimised process flowsheet and metallurgical recovery estimate.

A detailed survey of all available road routes for concentrate export between the mine site and the Mali ports of San Pedro and Abidjan has been completed, concluding that the available road routes to both bulk material ports are suitable for the transport needs of the project.

In addition, an alternative route to port has been identified that may offer a further improvement in current transport operational cost estimates.

The final public meetings required under the Malian Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process have been completed, subsequent to the receipt by the company of the Environmental Permit for Goulamina. Birimian has now completed the core environmental approvals process for the project.

Birimian managing director Chris Evans said: “The more work we complete on the optimisation of the Goulamina Lithium Project, the more evidence we see of its potential to be a world-class hard rock lithium producer with low operating costs and an extended mine life.

“In the past six months, Birimian has successfully progressed the project’s economics, obtained environmental permissions and lodged the mining permit, strengthened the management and operations teams and continually engaged with our potential offtake and funding partners.

“We should complete the optimisation of the current feasibility study for Goulamina in the third quarter of this year and look forward to further enhancements to the project’s economics through that process.”

www.birimian.com