Core Lithium has officially opened the Finniss lithium mine, making it the first such mine in production in the Northern Territory and Australia’s only lithium mine outside Western Australia.
Finniss is on target to export direct shipping ore (DSO) lithium by the end of this year.
This follows the first sale of spodumene DSO product announced last week.
Core will employ directly and indirectly a workforce of about 300 personnel during the life of the mine. Currently, over 80 per cent contractor and direct employees live in Darwin and work at Finniss.
Core chief executive officer Gareth Manderson said Core was bringing production online at a time of high lithium prices, strong global demand and constrained supply.
“The Core team has done a fantastic job quickly transitioning from discovery and exploration to construction and shortly supply of high-grade lithium concentrate to a global market in just six years,” he said.
“The first four years of production from the project is already secured with about 80 per cent sold to offtake partners, including Ganfeng Lithium and Sichuan Yahua, who have provided tremendous support during our development phase.”
