Rain delays launch but Territory lithium will soon be used in EV batteries worldwide

It's the $90m mine that took a year to build and promises to deliver jobs and economic activity for the NT, and has just notched up a major milestone.

In torrential Top End rain, the first shipment of product from Core’s Finniss Lithium mine began loading for export at Darwin Port early on Friday morning.

About 15,000 tonnes of direct shipping ore began loading onto the ship Rossana before travelling to China via the Philippines.

Core hoped to complete loading by Friday evening and for Rossana to leave Darwin Port sometime on Saturday.

But rain delayed loading because of concerns too much water would get into the cargo hold.

Due to sail Saturday morning, the first shipment is now scheduled to leave Darwin Harbour Wednesday morning, weather permitting.

Core’s mine is Australia’s only lithium mine outside of Western Australia.

Core has binding offtake agreements with Ganfeng Lithium and Sichuan Yahua to supply 75,000 tonnes per annum of lithium concentrate to each company over four years.

The product will be used in EV batteries.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and Deputy Chief Minister and Mines Minister Nicole Manison made the soggy trip to the Port to mark the first shipment.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and DCM and Mining Minister Nicole Manison at the media event for the loading of direct shipping ore from Core Lithium’s Finniss Lithium Project. Behind them is the Rossana ship at Port of Darwin on Friday, December 30, 2022. Picture: Camden Smith

“This critical mineral is part of the transition to the future and it’s coming from the Northern Territory,” Ms Fyles said.

“It’s really exciting to see 15,000 metric tonnes being exported and this is just the first shipment of many coming into the future.

“This is a fantastic project with jobs coming into the Northern Territory.

“It’s estimated 300 jobs over the lifespan of the project and in proximity to Darwin, it’s not just jobs on a fly-in fly-out basis but people living here in the Territory.

“So a really exciting day to see this export shipment taking place. Congratulations to Core Lithium and everyone involved in this project. It is a big step forward considering the mine only opened in October last year.

“The Northern Territory government is really proud to have worked with Core Lithium to bring this project to life.

“It sends a really strong message out there to the world that the Northern Territory is a place to come and invest to do business.”

Core Lithium chief executive Gareth Manderson said the presence of the Territory’s two senior politicians pointed to the strong support government had given the project. He said the milestone could be shared between a number of stakeholders.

“It’s a great day for the Territory and a fantastic milestone for Core Lithium and the culmination of support from the Northern Territory government and support of local communities,” Mr Manderson said.

“There has been support in Darwin but also Berry Springs, Wagait Beach and Dundee Beach have ben especially supportive.”

This shipment is expected to be the only DSO load exported with a converter currently being constructed on site.

The first loads of concentrate processed at the pit are expected to leave Port Darwin in the middle of next year.

Direct shipping ore from Core Lithium’s Finniss Lithium Project being loaded onto the Rossana ship at Port of Darwin on Friday, December 30, 2022.

“This improves the value of the product because it goes from a crushed ore to spodumene concentrate,” he said.

“The converter takes the concentrate then turns it into lithium hydroxide used in batteries.”

A non-binding offtake agreement with Tesla announced in March that lapsed in October remains “a work in progress”, he said.

“It’s definitely an option but right now the business is focused on the near-term objectives of getting the mine up and running and getting the converter operating but it is a piece of work going on in the background that’s for sure.”

Ms Manison said Core Lithium would support Territory jobs for more than a decade.

“It’s fantastic this is a drive-in drive out job where people can live in Darwin, they can go down the road for work, they can get home at night, enjoy seeing their kids grow up and participate in their life every day knowing they’ve got a world-class job just down the road,” she said.

“Critical minerals are just so important to reducing emissions to tackling the issue of climate change around the world and the Northern Territory stands well placed to deliver those critical minerals that the world needs.

“Core Lithium is going to be supporting jobs for the next 12 years out there, but I’m very excited that they’ve got further exploration under way and there is real potential to expand the mine life well beyond those 12 years.

The $89m dollar Finniss Lithium Project is expected to mine 16m tonnes of lithium-bearing ore over the mine life.