The US Bureau of Land Management issued a federal permit for the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project to Ioneer on Friday, the 25th of October 2024. Construction of the facility for the project is planned to start early next year while the first batch of batteries is expected to hit the markets in 2028.
A look at the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project
There are only two lithium-boron deposit areas in the world. Rhyolite Ridge in Nevada is one of the two, and the only one in North America.
Note that the deposits mentioned are “lithium-boron”, and not “lithium”, as the latter is found in several known sites in various countries.
Ioneer will have its site in Rhyolite Ridge; with the other being the Albemarle’s Silverpack mine also in the same area in Nevada.
The lithium-boron producing company has been on the table with the US Department of Energy Loan Program Office and Sibanye-Stillwater, among other stakeholders, and has made financial arrangements to the funding of the project. Ioneer and Sibanye-Stillwater are in joint venture, while the loan program office came up with $700 million in debt financing.
Timeline for the project
The first quarter of 2025 will see finalization of financial matters for the project to allow commencement of the construction phase.
Construction of the infrastructure and facilities needed for the project will start thereafter, and is expected to run for 36 months.
2028 will see the start of commercial production and processing of high-grade lithium and boron.
Also Read: Platinum Contracting of Nevada Starts Construction on Floating Docks for Shoreline Community
Project production predictions
The project is expected to yield products at an overall recovery of 85% for lithium carbonate, 95% for a lithium hydroxide circuit (the “circuit” is for the conversion of lithium carbonate to lithium hydroxide from year 4 of production), and 79% for boric acid.
The project manager terms the yields, “excellent”. The excellent yield will supply batteries for more than 370,000 American-made electric vehicles annually.
This kind of production is expected to lead to a decline in the amount of lithium the US currently imports – which is all of it actually.
How sustainable is the battery project going to be?
Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project is going to feature three main sustainability scopes during the construction phase and the subsequent operational phase. These include:
1. Off-grid power supply to the site
This will include a sulfuric acid plant and a steam turbine that will power the whole facility, eliminating reliance on Nevada’s electrical grid. The methods chosen for the on-site power generation have been stated to have “minimal CO2 emissions” and “minimal hazardous air pollutants”.
2. An autonomous and electrified mining fleet
In collaboration with Caterpillar, a leading truck company, automation hauling system (AHS) will be applied to the site’s mining fleet. This, according to Ioneer’s feasibility study will improve the overall structure and productivity of the operations at the site.
3. Water recycling in the facility
The recycling process at the project’s site will involve a simple but precisely calculated and monitored de-watering process in a quarry lake expected to form on-site.
What does Rhyolite Ridge Project have to offer other than batteries?
As aforementioned, there have been investments made by different key players in this project. They will of course expect returns at the end of financial quarters or at the end of subsequent financial years – depending on what was agreed upon. The site is also expected to quadruple the market of lithium-boron batteries from the USA.
Other than the financial and economic gains, the project will create jobs, ranging from construction to operational, to the communities involved. According to Ioneer, there will be between 400-500 construction jobs openings as early as next year, and another 250-300 job openings during operations.
The project is also geared towards “saving the planet”. This is through the aforementioned “green” practices that are steps towards environmental sustainability and mitigation of climate change.
End-note
There have been dozens of project around the world this year alone, most if not all, embrace the idea of efficiency for now and the future. Ioneer in a decisive and quite unique step, is definitely joining those who already set the pace.
