Sibanye-Stillwater Receives Vital Environmental Permit for Finland Lithium Project
- 07-Feb-2023 12:46 PM
- Journalist: Gabreilla Figueroa
Finland: Sibanye-Stillwater announced on Monday that they have received an environmental permit for their Keliber Lithium project's Rapasaari mine and Paivaneva concentrator. The permit, which the Regional State Administrative Agency for Western and Inland Finland (AVI) issued on 28 December 2022, is a major step forward in the project's development.
The Finnish Authority for Mining and Minerals (AVI) recently granted a permit for proposed mining and processing activities located in the municipalities of Kaustinen, Kokkola, and Kronoby. This single permit was created by combining separate applications made by the company on June 30th, 2021. The Rapasaari mine and Paivaneva concentrator are among those activities authorized under the permit.
The Rapasaari mine will be operating to extract ore and waste rock, dispose of the waste rock, and release water from the area.
Operations in Paivaneva are focused on mineral processing, along with tailings and process water treatment. The process includes taking water from the river Koyhajoki, and ensuring that overflow is responsibly released back into the same river.
The company announced that AVI has granted the permit decision which includes the water management permit for the concentrator and permits operational activity, even if there are any appeals.
“We are pleased to have received this key environmental permit soon after being granted approval for the Keliber Lithium refinery in Kokkola, which is preparing for the construction phase to start within the following weeks. Our aim is to advance the project within schedule while ensuring our environmental impact is as low as possible while we follow the required processes to ensure all permitting conditions are reasonable, unambiguous and will be practical to implement and adhere to,” said CEO Neal Froneman.
Sibanye-Stillwater, a multinational mining, and metals processing group, announced on 3 October 2022 that its effective ownership of Keliber Oy has increased to 84.96%. The advanced Lithium project is in Kaustinen and Kokkola, Finland, with plans to become the first European producer of battery-grade Lithium Hydroxide from its own ore reserves.
