5E Advanced Materials, Inc. has made significant strides in its mining operations, announcing lithium presence and boric acid at its flagship Boron Americas Complex.
The company revealed that all four wells at its 5E Boron Americas Complex are successfully operational. Additionally, they have confirmed the presence of lithium in the Pregnant Leach Solution (PLS) and noted an increasing head grade of the boric acid content.
Chris Knight, Vice President of Operations at 5E Advanced Materials, emphasised the significance of the results: “We are thrilled with our initial results confirming lithium content and a consistently increasing boric acid head grade.
“This marks another crucial step in validating all our mining assumptions and confirms the overall value of our ore body. 5E has already started off 2024 with great momentum.
“We immediately launched operations across our wellfield, and the company’s contractors are finalising the remaining areas of the processing plant, which will help to keep the 5E on its planned operational schedule.
“As we move forward through the year, we will aim to continue executing against our strategic and operational milestones.”
Operational milestones
The mining operations, initiated on January 1st, 2024, in California, have yielded promising results, meeting or surpassing expectations. Some key operational highlights include:
- Fully Operational Wells: All four Injection/Recovery wells are fully operational, effectively managing the extraction of PLS;
- Increased Boric Acid Grade: Boric acid head grade has exceeded 5.0% and is steadily increasing, surpassing historical levels; and
- Presence of Lithium: The company has confirmed the presence of lithium in the extraction process, with the Parts Per Million (PPM) content rising as the wells continue to operate.
Progress and expansion
In light of recent recapitalisation, 5E Advanced Materials has engaged an electrical contractor to expedite the final stages of the boric acid and gypsum areas of the plant. Operational schedules remain on track for completion by early March.
Commitment to lithium and boric acid production
5E Advanced Materials aims to become a leading global supplier of boron speciality and advanced materials alongside lithium co-product production.
The company’s mission is to supply critical materials to industries addressing global decarbonisation, food, and domestic security. Their products target applications in electric transportation, clean energy infrastructure, fertilisers, and domestic security.
The business strategy involves developing capabilities ranging from upstream extraction and product sales of boric acid, lithium carbonate, and potential co-products to downstream boron advanced material processing and development.
The company’s operations are based on a large domestic boron and lithium resource located in Southern California, designated as Critical Infrastructure by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
With successful operational milestones achieved and a strategic vision focused on sustainability and security, 5E Advanced Materials is poised to make significant contributions to various industries in the coming years.
