Wildcat Resources (ASX:WC8) is progressing a scheduled accelerated Definitive Feasibility Study for the Tabba Tabba Lithium Project in Western Australia, after completing 50% of the Prefeasibility Study.
The PFS is based on an open-pit mining operation delivering ore to a run of mine pad for processing through a flotation process plant to produce a spodumene concentrate for export.
Wildcat, which has a market capitalisation of $328 million, says since it is only 80km from the port of Port Hedland, the company has flexibility to sell lithium concentrate into world markets, whether customers are based in Asia, Europe, or North America.
General manager of project development James Dornan says the mineral resource in November 2024 has provided a strong foundation to prepare a robust PFS for Tabba Tabba.
“Many of the building blocks of the PFS studies were started as early as February 2024 and this has allowed us to proceed through the PFS very efficiently,” Dornan says.
NewPro Consulting and Engineering Services has been engaged to complete the process plant engineering for the project. The plant consists of three stages — crushing, grinding, and separation, as well as three stage flotation and concentrate dewatering and storage.
The tailings physical and geochemical characterisation is largely complete with the tailings storage facility design and engineering to begin shortly.
Meanwhile, Wildcat notes the infrastructure that is currently in place at the project is expected to be able to support an early work program, prior to establishing permanent infrastructure. This includes a bore field, a 78-person camp, and a site access road.
Given the greenfields nature of Tabba Tabba, all other infrastructure required to support a mining operation will need to be established.
The company is currently investigating layout options, with additional tenure recently acquired providing greater flexibility in the project’s layout.
Wildcat acquired the rights to apply for exploration licence applications from privately held Challen-7. The company has also been granted with a general purpose lease to conduct activities associated with the mining operations proposed.
In conjunction, Wildcat has applied for miscellaneous licences to establish supporting infrastructure for the project.
Further, a diamond drill rig is continuing to target extensions to the known resources and to collect samples for detailed metallurgical work from within the existing resource envelope.
The Tabba Tabba Project, prospective for lithium and tantalum, is near some of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium mines in Western Australia, including Pilbara Minerals’ (ASX:PLS) Pilgangoora Project and Mineral Resources’ (ASX:MIN) Wodgina Project.
Wildcat Resources is a mineral explorer focused on discovering and targeting projects prospective for battery minerals and gold across Australia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Wildcat Resources
