Last Friday the Mines Department minister of Catamarca province in Argentina notified Galan Lithium that it had been issued with the initial permits for its Hombre Muerto West lithium brine project.
On the heels of that, the company reports that work has started with work beginning on removing the topsoil ahead of pond construction.
The permits cover all earthworks required by Galan for its ground pond testing.
Next step will be pond construction
The company can now proceed with all pre-construction activities, including the commissioning of the new camp, removal of topsoil and preliminary testing activities for securing the ground quality.
The company says that, on completion of these steps, Galan will be ready to accelerate the construction of the evaporation ponds.
The Hombre Muerto West definitive feasibility study was organised in two stages.
Phase 1 will focus on the production of lithium chloride concentrate as specified by the permits just approved.
Second DFS due next quarter
The second phase of the definitive feasibility study will follow on the heels of Phase 1 and that report is expected to be released sometime in August and September.
Galan’s Managing director Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega said the Catamarca government had been both professional and committed throughout the approval process.
“The next development phase of the Hombre Muerto West project will continue Galan’s proud engagement of local contractors and communities,” he continued.
“These are exciting times for Galan and its shareholders as we strive to get the Hombre Muerto West project into its initial production phase.”
Hombre Muerto West comprises a 16km by 1km to 5km region on the west coast of the Hombre Muerto salar and includes seven concessions — Pata Pila, Rana de Sal, Deceo III, Del Condor, Pucara, Catalina and Santa Barbara.
Galan’s other flagship project located on this salar is Candelas which now has a maiden resource.
In addition, the company has 100% ownership of the Greenbushes South project in Western Australia, the ground lying on the traces of the geological structure that hosts the major Greenbushes mine.
