Borax Plant Relocation Update
Brisbane, Mar 18, 2014 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Orocobre Limited (
ASX:ORE) (TSE:ORL) ("Orocobre" or "the Company") is pleased to advise progress on the relocation of the borax chemical plant.
- Dismantling of existing equipment at Campo Quijano is 92% complete
- Installation of new equipment at Tincalayu is 85% complete
- The project continues to progress on time and within budget with 70% of the budget spent or committed
The project is about to enter into the final quarter of the relocation and construction programme with the target completion date being the end of June 2014.
The following is a summary of what has been achieved to date:
- Complete Engineering Design
- Repair and maintenance of existing equipment at Tincalayu, 73% complete
- Civil work at Tincalayu, 89% complete
- Dismantling of existing equipment at Campo Quijano, 92% complete
- Repair and maintenance of equipment at Campo Quijano commenced in January and is 44% complete
- Construction and installation of new equipment is 85% complete which includes the installation of the:
- Dissolver (86%)
- Overflow tanks (92%)
- Hot air generator (57%)
- Decanters (82%)
- Generators (93%)
- Centrifuges (86%)
- Electrical works (86%)
- The flocculant plant is 54% complete
The project continues to progress on time and within budget with 70% of the budget spent or committed.
The relocation of the borax plant to the Tincalyu mine site will have significant benefits through both the reduction of operating unit costs and also increasing overall mineral recovery from the mine. Historically, run-of-mine ore at 17% B2O3 has been concentrated at Tincalayu using dry magnetic separation to produce a 21% grade which is then transported 350 kms from Tincalayu to Campo Quijano for production of borax chemicals. Recovery through the dry magnetic separation plant has previously been only approximately 60%. When the borax plant relocation to the Tincalayu mine site is complete the borax plant will treat run-of-mine ore without the use of the magnetic separation plant. This will result in:
- no loss of mineral content prior to the borax plant as there will be no concentration stage
- removal of the operating costs of the dry magnetic separation concentration stage
- improvement in the freight cost profile by cartage of finished products with grades between 37% and 49% B2O3 as opposed to a 21% grade concentrate.
The capital budget for the project is US$3.7m net of existing plant and equipment.
To view photographs, please visit:
http://media.abnnewswire.net/media/en/docs/76769-ASX-ORE-788773.pdf
About Orocobre Limited
Orocobre Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange (
ASX:ORE) (TSE:ORL) (OTCMKTS:OROCF), and is building a substantial Argentine based industrial chemicals company through its portfolio of lithium, potash and boron assets. In partnership with Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC) and JEMSE, Orocobre has built and is now operating the world's first commercial, brine-based lithium operation constructed in approximately 20 years.
In 2018 Orocobre announced the Stage 2 Expansion of its flagship Olaroz Lithium Facility in Argentina. The Stage 2 Expansion will add 25,000 tpa of lithium carbonate production capacity, taking full production and capacity to 42,500 tpa of lithium carbonate for sale to industrial, technical and battery markets, positioning Orocobre as one of the world's largest and lowest cost lithium chemicals producers.
Additionally, Orocobre and Toyota Tsusho Corporation have commenced construction of the 10,000 tpa lithium hydroxide plant in Naraha, Japan. The construction of the Naraha Lithium Hydroxide Plant will further cement Orocobre's position as a global lithium chemicals producer operating at the bottom quartile of the lithium cost curve. This new hydroxide plant will be the first of its kind in Japan and will provide Orocobre product diversification suitable for different battery technologies and the potential for significant margin growth on our primary lithium carbonate being converted to battery grade lithium hydroxide.
| ||
|
