Mt Cattlin

The 2,370 ha Tantalum/Lithium property is located 5 km east of Ravensthorpe, Western Australia.

The deposit consists of a flat-lying pegmatite sheet. Mineral resources were estimated at 2.03 Mt of spodumene (lithium mineral) and 6.62 Mlb of Ta2O5.

Contract mining would be done by open pit at a rate of 1 million tones ore per year. Strip ratio was estimated at 2.4 to 1. Equipment would include a 120 t excavator and 85 t dump trucks.

Process of the ore involves crushing and screening of ROM ore to - 6mm; three stage heavy media separation; gravity concentration (spirals and wet tables) of tantalite minerals; contract dressing and packaging of tantalite concentrates; production of spodumene concentrate at 5% Li2O; and, shipment of bulk concentrate through Esperance port.

The operation would not produce glass or ceramic grade spodumene but a chemical grade product. The company decided to pursue the lower risk option of producing concentrate with downstream toll treating into lithium carbonate to be done in China. The company intends to own and market the final lithium carbonate product.

Initial hydrological studies have identified a number of potential water sources.

The project assumes the commencement of detailed engineering and procurement of long lead items at the start of quarter two 2009 and that the construction phase will commence during August 2009 with a construction period of 10 months allowing the plant to be commissioned during Quarter 3, 2010.