Covalent Lithium Pty Ltd proposes the expansion of existing operations for the mining, processing and transportation of lithium ore. The proposal is located approximately 100 kilometres (km) south-southeast of the townsite of Southern Cross in the Goldfields region of Western Australia.
The proposal will involve clearing of 1,443 hectares (ha) of native vegetation (in addition to the 442 ha currently authorised under Ministerial Statement 1199) within a revised development envelope of 4,009 ha. The proposal requires additional infrastructure including, but not limited to:
- Duplication of the processing plant to provide for additional processing/throughput capacity of up to 4.4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa).
- Additional waste rock landforms and tailings storage facility for the disposal of mining and processing wastes.
- Expansion of various supporting infrastructure including the accommodation village (mine camp), ore stockpiles, rehabilitation stockpiles, materials laydown, mine roads, power and communications infrastructure, drainage infrastructure, and addition of conveyors between the mine pit and processing plant.
- Addition of an evaporation pond and changes to water disposal locations.
