Tawana begins lithium production

Tawana Resources has opened the state’s fifth lithium operation, with the ASX-listed company announcing today that production has started at its jointly owned Bald Hill project in the eastern Goldfields.

Tawana has a 50 per cent stake in the project, with Osborne Park-based Alliance Mineral Assets owning the other 50 per cent.

Bald Hill has an inferred mineral resource of 18.9 million tonnes.

Western Australian lithium projects currently in production comprise Talison Lithium’s Greenbushes mine, which produces a third of the world’s lithium, Galaxy Resources’ Mt Cattlin project, and Mineral Resources' operations at Mt Marion and Wodgina.

Pilbara Minerals and Altura Mining have both commenced mining at their neighbouring Pilgangoora projects, and are getting close to commissioning of their processing plants this year.

Kidman Resources’ Mt Holland project, located near Southern Cross, is still in the planning stage.

With commissioning at the Bald Hill site complete, the first ore has been fed into the processing plant.

Tawana managing director Mark Calderwood praised the work of the joint venture.

“It is a great effort by everybody involved to take Bald Hill from maiden lithium resource to production in nine months including only seven months of construction from the ground up,” Mr Calderwood said

“The focus now is to achieve steady state production from the stage one dense made separation circuit and optimise lithium yields.

“Concurrently, the JV will work on completion of the stage two lithium fines circuit design and recommissioning of the tantalum circuits.”

About 20,000 tonnes of crushed ore is already stockpiled at the site.

Shares in Tawana were up 12.6 per cent at 49 cents each today.