Name of the Project
Pioneer Dome lithium project.

Location
South of Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia.

Project Owner/s
Develop Global.

Project Description
An updated scoping study has shown that the project will generate strong financial returns based on a 1.2-million-tonne-a-year processing facility. The concentrator process plant design is a hybrid dense-medium separation and flotation flowsheet. This will provide flexibility to treat a range of ore types and will maximise recovery and quality.

The mine plan shows that Pioneer Dome will attain steady-state average production of  200 000 t/y of spodumene concentrate over a seven-year life-of-mine (LoM), with an LoM payable of 1.13-million tonnes of spodumene.

The assumed mining method for the deposit is a mixture of openpit and underground methods.

Conventional openpit mining methods using two 125-t-class excavators, matched with 90 t trucks, will be used. It is assumed that all material will require blasting.

The proposed underground mines have been optimised, designed and scheduled to enable mining using standard high-capacity mobile underground mining equipment. Each orebody is accessed through a decline developed from the openpit excavations. The ventilation and escapeway accesses are also mined from existing openpit voids to reduce development metres planned in oxidised material. The mining method, which forms the basis of the work, is longhole open stoping. Stope stability will be maintained with a mixture of rock fill and paste fill.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a pretax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of A$373-million and an internal rate of return of 34%, with a payback of about four years.

Capital Expenditure
A$388.1-million.

Planned Start/End Date
None stated.

Latest Developments
None stated.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Develop Global, tel +61 8 6389 7400 or email hello@develop.com.au.