The MissionZero Lithium Mine

Low impact hard rock lithium processing

With lithium demand expected to increase dramatically, the sustainability of hard rock (spodumene) lithium processing techniques is under scrutiny. Featuring several technology innovations, our hard rock lithium flowsheet of the future has been developed to reduce the environmental impact of lithium extraction.

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Hard rock lithium (spodumene) processing

Increasing lithium production is essential to the green transition, with demand for the metal expected to increase by 400% by 2050. This poses a challenge to conventional production techniques, which are energy- and water-intensive. Continuing to rely on these traditional flowsheets will result in increased costs and environmental impacts over time, as higher-quality assets are depleted and the industry is forced to exploit lower-quality assets.

Our MissionZero Mine programme aims to address these challenges with full-flowsheet solutions that deliver more sustainable mineral processing solutions using the latest technologies and innovations.

The MissionZero lithium (spodumene) flowsheet

Historically, hard rock (spodumene) lithium processing plants relied on crushing and dense media separation, followed by grinding and flotation, to produce a lithium concentrate. Recently, the industry has adopted whole-ore flotation to improve liberation, achieve better selectivity, reduce losses, increase yields, improve operability, and deliver more competitive project economics. Such flowsheets contain fewer unit operations and are more straightforward to operate.

The MissionZero Mine hard rock lithium (spodumene) flowsheet builds on conventional whole-ore flotation circuits by incorporating various innovative technologies in the layout. Spodumene ore is crushed using ABON® Sizers before being sent for ore characterisation and sorting ahead of grinding in an FLS VRM. From the mill, material moves through a magnetic separation step and onto flotation using nextSTEP™ and REFLUX™ flotation cells. Both tailings and concentrates are thickened using E-Cat high-rate thickeners. The spodumene concentrate is then dewatered in a Pneumapress filter, while the tailings are dewatered using an AFP automatic filter press, generating a filtered tailings product.

In an independently reviewed third-party Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), this circuit demonstrated a 16% lower climate change impact, a 15% lower water scarcity impact, and only 3% higher costs, compared to a conventional circuit with a wet tailings storage facility. The relative cost of the MissionZero flowsheet compared to the conventional circuit with wet tailings is dependent on the relative cost of water: higher water costs will improve the relative MissionZero Mine cost and make it more attractive financially, as well as environmentally. Compared to a traditional circuit with dewatered tailings, the MissionZero Mine flowsheet reduced the climate impact of hard rock lithium processing by 21% and the water scarcity impact by 11%, while reducing costs by 11%.

The technology behind the flowsheet

ABON Low-Speed Sizers

ABON Sizers have built a global reputation for their reliability, consistency, and productivity. Low roll speed, high torque, and unique teeth profiles work together to produce the required product with minimal fines and extended consumable wear life. Low roll speed also allows for a simpler infrastructure design, which reduces plant footprint and the associated civil and construction costs.

Beyond the flowsheet: spodumene concentrate pyroprocessing

The MissionZero Mine lithium flowsheets deliver a spodumene concentrate with less environmental and water impact. But what happens then? Our expertise extends beyond the process stages outlined above to the spodumene pyroprocessing systems used to produce lithium sulfate.

In this video, Tim Kyle, Global Sales Manager, Pyromet Technology, talks about the Pyro Island and our goals to enable more sustainable exploration of critical battery minerals.

Driving the future of lithium mining

Our MissionZero Mine hard rock lithium flowsheets are more than a vision - they are practical blueprints for the lithium mines of tomorrow. Our MissionZero technologies provide a viable path to greener lithium mining. However, industry collaboration is essential for success. As mines consider the path forward, it’s time to embrace innovation to deliver a more sustainable future.

Frequently asked questions

Hard rock lithium mining involves extracting and processing lithium ore (spodumene) to produce a usable lithium product. After the ore has been mined, it is crushed and ground before the spodumene is recovered via flotation to create a spodumene concentrate. This concentrate goes through a pyroprocess to extract the lithium as lithium sulfate.

Spodumene is one of the primary ores from which lithium is extracted. Spodumene contains lithium locked in its crystal structure. It requires high-temperature processing to release this lithium in a usable form. Lithium itself is a light, highly reactive metal that has various critical applications in batteries, medications, ceramics, and aerospace alloys.

Lithium production is an energy-intensive process, especially when it comes to refining it into battery-grade materials like lithium hydroxide or carbonate. Much of this energy is consumed during the pyroprocessing of the spodumene (lithium ore) concentrate. Energy is also consumed in the crushing, grinding, and flotation of spodumene ore to produce a spodumene concentrate.

Want to talk? Reach out to our experts.