Production begins at Australia’s first underground lithium mine
Liontown Resources has achieved first stoping ore at the Mt Mann orebody within the Kathleen Valley operation in Western Australia.
Approximately 1500 tonnes of ore was extracted as part of an initial stope designed to extract approximately 12,000 tonnes of ore.
March trials confirmed underground ore could be processed with a head grade of approximately 1.5 per cent lithium oxide, delivering lithia recoveries exceeding 70 per cent.
“The successful commencement of underground stoping at our Kathleen Valley lithium operation on schedule is a proud milestone for Liontown,” Liontown managing director and chief executive officer Tony Ottaviano said.
“This achievement was made possible by advanced planning, the dedication of our team and the support from our mining partner, Byrnecut, ensuring the first stope blast at Mt Mann proceeded as planned.
“As part of normal preparations and planning, we undertook underground ore trials in the March quarter, in advance of first stoping, to understand the optimal plant performance settings. The trials delivered results in line with our study work, which reinforces our confidence in transitioning to full underground operations.”
Liontown is targeting high-margin ore from its underground operations, with the mill expected to be supplied solely by underground volumes and stockpiles by the fourth quarter of the 2025–26 financial year (FY26).
The underground mine is set to provide cleaner ore extraction by reducing ore dilution from waste contamination, supporting higher lithia recoveries and improve ore fragmentation, something which Liontown believes offers distinct advantages over traditional open-pit operations.
First stoping ore marks a significant milestone in the transition from open-pit to underground operations.