PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX- and TSX-listed Orocobre has reported a 65% increase in quarterly production during the three months to December, with lithium carbonate production reaching 3 782 t.
The company noted on Thursday that the December quarter results were the second best quarter of production at the Olaroz project, in Argentina, to date.
Sales for the quarter reached 3 019 t of lithium carbonate, with a realised price of $10 587/t on a free-on-board basis, with total sales revenue reaching $32-million.
Orocobre is currently working on the Stage 2 expansion of the Olaroz lithium facility, which will increase lithium carbonate production by 25 000 t/y, bringing the total production capacity to 42 500 t/y.
The $295-million expansion project will result in the production of some 17 500 t/y of battery grade lithium carbonate, 9 500 t/y of technical grade lithium carbonate as feedstock for the planned 10 000 t/y battery Naraha lithium hydroxide plant in Japan, and a further 15 500 t/y of technical grade lithium carbonate.
At the end of December, some $19-million had been spent on the expansion activities.
The Stage 2 plant expansion is scheduled for commissioning in the second half of 2020.