Ganfeng Lithium (01772) announced updates regarding its joint development project with Lithium Argentina. Recently, the Mining and Energy Secretariat of Salta Province, Argentina, issued the Environmental Impact Assessment (DIA) approval for the first phase of the project, marking a critical milestone. The joint project plans to submit an application for the Large Investment Incentive Program (Regimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones) to the Argentine government in the first half of 2026 to secure local government support and fiscal incentives.

The project is designed with an annual production capacity of approximately 150,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), to be developed in three phases over a 30-year lifespan. Golder Associates Inc. has reviewed and verified the operational cost estimates for the project based on industry standards, assessing both the full-scale 150,000-tonne LCE annual production and the initial 50,000-tonne LCE phase.

The joint project integrates Ganfeng Lithium’s direct lithium extraction technology with solar evaporation ponds, aiming to enhance production efficiency, reduce freshwater consumption, improve product consistency and quality, and significantly lower production costs. The project maintains flexibility in product pathways, allowing customization of final lithium products based offtake agreements and market conditions.