Our Projects

Piedmont Lithium Inc. (PLL) contracted with Primero Group Americas Inc. (Primero) to develop a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for their Carolina Lithium Project (Project) near Charlotte, NC, including a spodumene mine, a spodumene concentrator and a lithium hydroxide (LiOH) conversion plant to convert the spodumene concentrate (SC6) into lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LiOH·H2O). This complete integrated report needed to comply S-K 1300 regulation from the U.S. Security of Exchange Commission (SEC), meets local standards and regulation, while being developed in an area that has typically limited mining activities.

Primero is a specialized design-build firm with strong lithium industry know-how that has supported Piedmont’s development since early 2018. Primero has been Piedmont’s preferred engineering firm because of our fit-to-purpose approach and can-do attitude. Our flexibility and willingness to adapt to our client’s need is making us the best fit for a junior company like piedmont, we are truly hands-in-hands in the project development.

Primero’s mandate is to manage the development and delivery of DFS for a 1.15 Mtpa mine and spodumene concentrator plant and associated infrastructure, and also a Lithium Hydroxide Conversion Facility. The overall Project scope includes Mine development, Spodumene concentration process facility, Waste Rock Disposal Area (WRDA), Dry-stack tailings integral to the WRDA, Infrastructure to support the construction, mining and processing operations while conforming to local statutory requirements regarding approvals and respective licences to operate. Furthermore, this project also included overland conveyors transportation to Lithium Hydroxide facility, Calcination, Autoclave, leaching, ion-exchange, filters, Crystalizer, dryers, packaging plant, shipping and loading infrastructure for Battery-grade Lithium.

The process from Pit to Battery Grade Lithium that was developed with test work supervision by Primero could be summarized as follow: From pit to crushing into Dense Media Separation, Magnetics Removals, then grinding and Mag Sep to go into Spodumene Flotation, then thickening and water removal, meanwhile recuperating by-product of Mica and Quartz. Then an overland conveyors transportation to Lithium Hydroxide facility, Calcination, Autoclave, leaching, ion-exchange, filters, Crystalizer, dryers, packaging plant, shipping and loading infrastructure for Battery-grade Lithium.

Primero was able to develop a complete integrated project for its client by providing local North American support. Our performance on this study has allowed to progress the project into FEED, and keep working with this client.