Reserves of a major lithium deposit in China exceed initial estimates by 70%
The resource base of the large Jiada lithium deposit in China's Sichuan province has been increased by approximately 70% following a reassessment.
As 1news.az reports, this was announced by the South China Morning Post newspaper.
According to the information, after additional geological exploration work, the deposit's registered resources grew by 1.05 million tons in terms of lithium carbonate — to 2.53 million tons. That is 70.5% more than the previously registered 1.48 million tons.
The additional resources amount to 33.52 million tons of ore containing about 423,800 tons of lithium oxide. Their increase passed verification and registration with China's Ministry of Natural Resources.
The project's developer, Dazhong Mining, estimates that the initial section of the deposit, upon reaching design capacity, will be able to produce about 50,000 tons of lithium carbonate annually. At the same time, the company is still completing the procedures for obtaining the necessary permits for extraction and operation.
The expansion of the resource base is taking place amid Beijing's drive to reduce its dependence on foreign supplies of strategic raw materials. About 60% of China's lithium raw material needs in 2025 were met through foreign sources, the publication notes.
