According to the latest report on September 12, Zijin Mining's 3Q (Tres Quebradas) lithium project located in Catamarca, Argentina, has officially commenced production. The inauguration ceremony was held on September 12, marking its status as the seventh lithium project in Argentina.
In its first phase, the project will achieve an annual production capacity of 20,000 metric tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), with plans for further expansion in subsequent phases. Among them, the second phase aims to increase annual output to 30,000 metric tonnes of LCE, and the third phase targets 50,000 metric tonnes. The project is expected to operate until 2043 and utilizes a method of extracting lithium from evaporation ponds in the salt flats of the Green Lake.
Managed by its local subsidiary Liex, the project is situated at an altitude of 4,300 meters, 30 kilometers from the Chilean border and 200 kilometers from the port of Caldera in Chile's Atacama region. The launch of the project is a milestone for Catamarca Province, as it becomes the region's third lithium mine, joining the production efforts of the Fenix and Sal de Oro major lithium projects.
Edited by Cassie Li, lixiangying@mysteel.com
