• GLOBAL NEWS
Global news
Keliber aims to become the first European company to start the production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide in 2024 . Construction of the infrastructure and production facilities is scheduled to begin by mid-2022 .
“ Lithium is an essential raw material in batteries that enable the electrification of transport and thus contributes to climate change mitigation . Demand for responsibly produced European lithium hydroxide is growing rapidly . This means jobs and financial success for Central Ostrobothnia and , more broadly , for the Finnish battery cluster ,” says Hannu Hautala .
FINLAND : KELIBER APPLIES FOR PERMITS AT RAPASAARI
Mining company Keliber has submitted applications to the Regional State Administrative Agency for Western and Inland Finland ( AVI ) for environmental and water management permits for the Rapasaari lithium mine and the Päiväneva concentrator .
The mine and the concentrator form an essential part of the lithium province of Central Ostrobothnia , for which an environmental impact assessment ( EIA ) was conducted in 2020 . The ELY Centre for South Ostrobothnia issued a reasoned conclusion on the EIA report on 29 March 2021 . The activities covered by the permits are located in the municipalities of Kaustinen , Kokkola and Kruunupyy .
The Rapasaari mine comprises an open pit and , at a later stage , underground mining . In addition to ore extraction , mining activities include the extraction and stockpiling of waste rock as well as the treatment and discharge of water from the area .
The concentrator in Päiväneva processes ore into spodumene concentrate . In addition to mineral processing , activities include tailings ponds and process water treatment .
Keliber ’ s applications for environmental permits for the mine and the concentrator are in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act ( 527 / 2014 ).
In addition , an application for a water management permit in accordance with the Water Act ( 587 / 2011 ) will also be made to grant the use of water from the river Köyhäjoki .
“ We have now reached the important stage of applying for permits for the concentrator and our second main mine area in Rapasaari . We would like to thank our neighbours , partners and the authorities for their constructive and good cooperation ,” says CEO Hannu Hautala .
“ We are pleased to have submitted the permit applications to the authorities on time and according to schedule . We will continue to develop our operations and efforts to reduce the environmental impact throughout the project ’ s life cycle . In the autumn , we welcome everyone to our public events , where we will be talking about the progress of the lithium project ,” says Environmental Manager Kari Wiikinkoski .
8 • African Mining • September 2021
Keliber is a European , Finnish special chemical and mining company with the aim of producing sustainable , high-purity , battery-grade lithium hydroxide for the growing battery market .
INDONESIA : METSO SIGNS BIG CONTRACT
Metso Outotec has signed a major engineering and technology contract as well as license agreements for the delivery of a landmark copper smelter complex to be built in Gresik , East Java , in Indonesia .
The project owner is PT Freeport Indonesia , and PT Chiyoda International Indonesia is the EPC contractor . Four-fifths of the approximately EUR 360-million contract has been booked in Metals ’ Q3 / 2021 order intake and the rest in Minerals ’ Q3 / 2021 order intake .
Metso Outotec ’ s scope of delivery is based on the licensed , well-proven Metso Outotec Flash Smelting , Flash Converting and Lurec technology . It includes the design and supply of key process equipment and process control systems for the main areas of the smelter complex , the copper electrolytic refinery , the gas cleaning and sulphuric acid plant , the slag concentrator , and the effluent treatment plant .
Metso Outotec has previously provided certain front-end engineering design ( FEED ) and other advance engineering services for this 1.7 mtpa copper concentrate smelter complex . This smelter complex is expected to be commissioned in 2024 .
“ Our joint efforts with Freeport Indonesia and Chiyoda will set a new standard for the copper smelter industry in fulfilling the strictest international environmental standards and efficiency requirements . We are very happy to work together to implement this game changing copper smelter ,” says Pekka Vauramo , president and CEO at Metso Outotec .
“ We have worked with Freeport Indonesia and Chiyoda for several years to ensure and select the best available process design and technologies for the Manyar Project ,” says Jari Ålgars , president , Metals business area at Metso Outotec .
Metso Outotec has delivered 51 Copper Flash Smelters around the world . Metso Outotec Copper Flash Smelting is the most widely applied technology for copper smelting in the world and one of the company ’ s Planet Positive solutions . Using this technology , Metso Outotec ’ s customers avoided more than 1.6 million tons of CO₂ emissions in 2020 . • www . africanmining . co . za