Name of the Project
Prairie lithium project.

Location
Williston basin of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Project Owner/s
Mineral exploration company Arizona Lithium.

Project Description
Prairie holds a resource of 6.3-million tonnes comprising 4.5-million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent in the indicated category and 1.8-million tonnes in the inferred category.

A prefeasibility study (PFS) has reported initial production of 6 000 t/y, consisting of three inaugural well pads, each producing 2 000 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent over a 20-year mine life.

The robust PFS economics for Phase 1 can be replicated, and additional modules will increase production to between 20 000 t/y and 25 000 t/y in Phase 2, and multiples thereof in Phase 3.

The Prairie project uses conventional oil and gas drilling and completion methods to access lithium-rich brine from aquifers about 2.3 km underground. 

Through direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology, the company will separate lithium from the brine. The extracted lithium concentrate will be converted on site to an upgraded high-purity material. The remaining lithium-depleted brine will be disposed of back underground into a different aquifer. The DLE process uses less land and fresh water while generating less waste, in comparison to hard-rock and evaporation mining.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
In the base case, the project has a pretax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $448-million and an internal rate of return of 23.9%, with a payback of 2.2 years.

Capital Expenditure
Phase 1 – $290-million, including contingency. The total installed cost for each additional well-pad is estimated at $70-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Initial production is slated for the first half of 2025.

Latest Developments
Arizona Lithium has received approval for Phase 1. The project is the first lithium brine project in Saskatchewan – and one of the first in North America – to secure initial production approval.

Phase 1 involves production at Pad using a commercial-scale direct lithium extraction (DLE) unit with capacity to produce 150 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). The company has said the unit represents a full commercial-scale DLE system that could be replicated to scale up production in future phases.

Alongside the production approval, Arizona Lithium also unveiled an updated well network model, based on data from its 2024 drilling and completion programme. The model significantly increases the estimated indicated resource that could be produced – up 120%, to 17 000 t/y LCE, from the previous 7 700 t/y used in the project’s PFS.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Arizona Lithium, tel +61 8 6313 3936 or email info@arizonalithium.com.