Construction of the Goulamina lithium mine by Leo Lithium company in Mali is well advanced. The company’s plan is to start production in 2024 and ship the raw ore via the Dakar and Canakry. However, on 17 July 2023, Mali’s Minister of Mines sent a letter to Léo Lithium. The letter concerned the suspension of direct ore shipment operations, the status of the government’s free shareholding and the general state of progress of work on the site.
The government subsequently set up a commission to examine these issues.
Leo Lithium congratulated the government on the creation of the Commission. It states that it provided all the information to the commission during the meetings held in Bamako in July and August 2023.
This information relates to the lithium industry in the broadest sense and the benefits to the State of Mali of selling this mineral. But it is still awaiting a response from the government.
For the company, the suspension of direct shipment of ore does not delay any aspect of the project. The first production of spodumene concentrate remains scheduled for the second trimester of 2024. Indeed, the extracted ore is being stockpiled in anticipation of the first production of spodumene concentrate in the second trimester of 2024, which remains on schedule.
Léo Lithium says that discussions with the government of Mali are continuing on other issues, including the government’s free shareholding in the Goulamina project and the overall progress of the project. The government’s free shareholding is 10%, but it can take a further 20% by paying for shares at market value.
However, shipment of the ore remains suspended while discussions with the Malian government continue. The mine automatically stopped crushing ore for export as soon as it received the Minister’s letter.
Simon Hay, Chief Executive of Leo Lithium, commented: “Goulamina remains a technically and financially strong world-class lithium project and continues to represent the next major lithium project to enter global production. We will continue to work with the Ministry of Mines and advance our world-class spodumene project. We anticipate further positive developments, with the latest mineral resources providing the basis for an updated ore reserve estimate. We expect further positive developments, with the latest mineral resources providing the basis for an updated ore reserve estimate later this month”.
Pierre Balma
#Mines_Actu_Burkina
