Lithium - Mining consulting services

AMC Consultants has the highest level of technical and management expertise in lithium across the disciplines of geology, geotechnical engineering, mining engineering, and metallurgy. Our engineers, geologists, and support staff provide these expert services from offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Toronto, Vancouver, and Maidenhead (UK).

Professional, proven global mining consultancy experience

AMC’s lithium mining expertise is underpinned by practical experience across all mined commodities in all types of mining, including underground and open-pit mining, selective and bulk mining, traditional methods, and methods using the most modern technology. We understand the critical factors that are unique to the lithium mining process and the chemical itself, including the technical and practical challenges and risks and how to manage and solve these.

AMC has a strong team of principal mining consultants with experience in the early-stage to mature-stage of lithium exploration and lithium mining operations. The team includes staff with significant direct operational experience, complemented by broad consulting experience.

Our team’s experience spans lithium geology, exploration, resource evaluation, resource modelling, geostatistics, mine production, mine planning, mine design, reserves, metallurgy, reconciliation, grade control, and business improvement.

We also provide advice on international reporting requirements and qualified Competent Persons for reporting lithium exploration results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves in accordance with the JORC Code, PERC, SAMREC and NI 43-101 reporting standards.

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Lithium mining consulting services

AMC provides direct technical and operational advice on lithium properties and is an independent reviewer of in-house or commissioned third-party lithium advice. Our mining consulting services include:

Corporate due diligence, independent reviews, and audits.
Geology and Mineral Resources.
Mining engineering and Ore Reserves.
Operational improvement.
Reconciliation studies.
Mine production and mine planning.
Metallurgical reviews.
CRIRSCO reporting advice.

Lithium mine capabilities

Geological consulting

All geological aspects, from exploration through to resource definition and mine production.
Geological modelling, resource estimation, and advanced geostatistical studies.
Mine-to-refinery and mine-to-ship sampling and reconciliation.
Exploration and resource advice, drilling planning, optimization, and programme management.
Sampling, drilling, and laboratory audits, QA/QC reviews, and improvement.
Mine geology, grade control, production and planning advice, and procedures design.
Mineralogical and deleterious element management and improvement, from mine to refinery.
CRIRSCO reporting and advice, Competent Person/Qualified Person responsibility and resource classification.

Mining engineering and operational performance

Reserve estimates, definition, classification, CRIRSCO reporting, and Competent Person/Qualified Person responsibility.
Mining engineering studies, from feasibility stage to operating mines, including mine design, mine planning, scheduling studies and mine optimization, and financial evaluation studies.
Benchmarking and performance improvement, projection rate, and schedule optimization.
Equipment selection and optimization, mining loss, and dilution management and improvement.

Geotechnical consulting

Geotechnical studies, reviews, and audits.
Geomechanics and ground support assessment.
Mine design and waste disposal studies.

Metallurgical consulting

Process optimization and lithium beneficiation testwork design and review.
Bespoke geometallurgical studies.

AMC expert corporate reports

Due diligence studies for valuations and asset acquisitions.
Geological, mining, and metallurgical independent specialist reports.

Mine personnel training and mentoring

Geology, reconciliation, resources, and reserves.
Project evaluation, risk, mine design, and mine planning.
Codes and reporting — JORC and NI 43-101.

Notable projects for worldwide lithium mining companies

AMC has worked on a wide range of lithium projects in Australia, Canada, France, Serbia, and Ukraine.

We have advised more than 40 lithium mining projects across the globe for businesses including Rio Tinto Services Ltd, Canadian Lithium Corp and Rock Tech Lithium Corp. Some of our particularly notable work has advised the following lithium mines:

Imerys, Emili Project

The Exploitation de Mica Lithinifère par Imerys (Emili) project is one of the largest lithium projects in Europe. Located at Imerys’ Beauvoir kaolin mine in Echassières (Allier), France. Emili has the potential to be a key supplier of lithium in Europe. AMC is currently providing the Emili team with technical assistance for its exploration programme and is taking Competent Person sign-off responsibility for the Mineral Resource estimates, following the guidelines of the PERC reporting standard.

Pilgangoora Lithium Project

AMC has provided a range of technical solutions and support to the Pilgangoora lithium project in Western Australia. AMC has undertaken studies ranging from scoping through to feasibility level and provided ongoing engineering support, including strategic assessment, evaluation of potential acquisitions, providing Ore Reserve estimates and Competent Person sign-off, and operational planning support for mining lithium.

Greenbushes Lithium Mine

AMC has completed a range of long-term planning projects for Talison Lithium Pty Ltd, including a mining fleet and infrastructure expansion study, a strategic mine planning study and support in tactical scheduling.

Whabouchi Lithium Mine

AMC completed due diligence on the Whabouchi lithium mine, one of the largest high-purity lithium deposits in North America, on behalf of a large private equity lender.