PMET Completes Concept Study Identifying Potential Refining Pathway at Shaakichiuwaanaan Project

FINWIRES Analysis

Securing a battery-grade 99.8% lithium carbonate output via atmospheric leach advances PMET from miner toward integrated processor, capturing margin that would otherwise leave Quebec. Pairing the flowsheet with the province's cheap hydro for electric calcination is a deliberate low-carbon-intensity pitch aimed at Western battery buyers wary of Chinese refining. This remains a concept study, so capex and timeline disclosures are the next gating items.

Key Takeaways

Concept targets domestic value-added lithium refining

99.8% battery-grade carbonate validated at bench

Hydro-powered calcination pitches low carbon intensity

PMET Resources Inc. (PMET.TO), which rose near 5% last Friday, has completed a concept study evaluating future potential to process spodumene concentrate into a value-added lithium product at the Shaakichiuwaanaan project in Quebec, the company said overnight Sunday.

This offers further opportunities to reduce logistics intensity over time and aligns with Canada's and Quebec's objectives for the domestic processing of critical minerals, it added.

Among highlights, PMET noted that following a structured review of seven processing flowsheet options, the study identified Primero's subsidiary proprietary ALi atmospheric leach process as the preferred value-added pathway for further study. Patriot cited the process's overall economic potential, strong logistics efficiency benefits and technical risk profile, as well as its alignment with the company's sustainability objectives.

PMET said bench scale test work on Shaakichiuwaanaan spodumene concentrate samples has been undertaken using the ALi process, producing a 99.8% Li2CO3 battery-grade lithium carbonate. "If combined with the use of electric calcination through Quebec's low-cost renewable energy, on-site value added processing may reduce carbon intensity and improve efficiencies within the battery materials supply chain," it added.

Future work is expected to determine how to capture further economic benefits of value-added products at site including potential introduction of electrical calcination technology to leverage the full potential of Quebec's renewable and low-cost hydroelectric power, the company said.

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