https://newsletter.mw.creamermedia.com
blasting|Construction|Consulting|Exploration|Financial|Fluor|Mining|PROJECT|Projects|Resources|Surface|Waste|Waste
blasting|Construction|Consulting|Exploration|Financial|Fluor|Mining|PROJECT|Projects|Resources|Surface|Waste|Waste
blasting|construction|consulting-company|exploration|financial|fluor|mining|project|projects|resources|surface|waste-company|waste

McDermitt lithium project, US – update

Image of lithium ore

Photo by ©Bloomberg

25th April 2025

By: Sheila Barradas

Creamer Media Research Coordinator & Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

Name of the Project
McDermitt lithium project.

Location
Malheur County, on the Oregon-Nevada border, in the US.

Project Owner/s
Exploration company Jindalee Resources.

Project Description
A November 2024 prefeasibility study (PFS) confirmed the project’s strong economic returns. The project has a maiden probable ore reserve of 251-million tonnes at1 751 parts per million of lithium, containing 2.34-million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent.

The PFS processing schedule supports a 63-year production life; however, the production target and forecast financial information excludes any production beyond 40 years.

The PFS envisions a conventional openpit mining method, with a low strip ratio and no blasting required owing to the soft and friable nature of the ore and waste material.

Production is estimated at 1.8-million tonnes of battery-grade lithium carbonate over the life-of-mine. Average lithium carbonate production over the first ten years of operation is estimated at 47 500 t/y. Over the first 40 years of operation, the project is expected to produce about 44 300 t/y.

The full 63-year PFS processing schedule is based on processing 79% probable ore reserves, 3% indicated resources and 18% inferred resources, with forecast total production of 2.5-million tonnes of lithium carbonate.

Potential Job Creation
The project is expected to create 1 000 jobs during construction and 600 jobs during operation.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The PFS estimates an after-tax net present value of $3.23-billion at an 8% discount rate and an internal rate of return of 17.9%, with a payback of five years.

Capital Expenditure
Preproduction capital is estimated at $3.02-billion, including 21% contingency.

Planned Start/End Date
Construction and commissioning are expected to take three years, with prestrip
mining starting in the third year.

Latest Developments
The project has been officially designated as a “transparency project” under the US Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) permitting framework.

FAST-41 improves the coordination, predictability and transparency of federal permitting for projects of national strategic importance. Projects designated under FAST-41 are listed on the Federal Permitting Dashboard, ensuring publicly accessible permitting timelines and enhancing interagency cooperation. Transparency projects benefit from increased visibility and coordination between federal and state agencies, which, according to the US Department of the Interior, is intended to promote faster decision-making and remove unnecessary delays.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Fluor (processing studies and capital expenditure); and Cube Consulting (pit designs and mining schedule).

Contact Details for Project Information
Jindalee Resources, tel + 61 8 9321 7550 or email enquiry@jindalee.net.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

 

Showroom

Weir
Weir

Weir is a global leader in mining technology. We recognise that our planet’s future depends on the transition to renewable energy, and that...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
M and J Mining
M and J Mining

M and J Mining are leading suppliers of physical support systems as used by the underground mining industry. Our selection of products are not...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Magazine round up | 02 May 2025
Magazine round up | 02 May 2025
2nd May 2025

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.169 0.301s - 128pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now