Core Lithium Cleared to Open Second Mine in Northern Territory

Core Lithium, which opened its first lithium mine in the Northern Territory last October, has received government approval to open a second operation.

The Northern Territory Government yesterday announced the approval of the BP33 mine, the second at the Finniss Lithium operation near Darwin.

BP33 will be an underground mine 33km west of Berry Springs and 5km from the Grants open pit, and ore will be processed at the Grants Lithium Project.

The Adelaide-headquartered Core Lithium’s first exports began shipping in January, with the government having awarded it the Territory’s first lithium mining lease in 2019.

The government claims the total value of local spend to date on the Finniss Lithium project, including its 300 employees, is $120 million.

The BP33 project will employ 60 people during construction, and around 150 people during operations, the government said.

The announcement comes as Core Lithium ships its first 5,500 tonnes of spodumene concentrate, currently being loaded onto the St Andrew ship at Darwin, headed for China.

Minister for Mining and Industry Nicole Manison said: “Core Lithium has demonstrated their ability to extract and export critical minerals within a short time frame, and the latest proposed mine will be no exception.

 

“This is big news for the Northern Territory economy, local suppliers and local jobs, as we move towards a $40 billion economy by 2030.”