Piedmont Receives A Mining Permit; Senators Against US Steel Deal; Ioneer Closer To Rhyolite Ridge Construction And More: Monday's Top Mining Stories

Top Stories for April 15, 2024:

1. Piedmont Lithium PLL received approval from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality for a mining permit for its Carolina Lithium project in Gaston County. 

This permit, issued after a detailed review since August 2021, enables the construction, operation and reclamation of the site. 

Piedmont’s CEO Keith Phillips highlighted the project’s potential as a low-cost, sustainable lithium operation crucial to the U.S. electric vehicle supply chain, expected to significantly boost Gaston County’s economy and create hundreds of jobs.

2. Two steel-state Democratic senators from Ohio and Pennsylvania are urging President Joe Biden to block Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel X, citing national security and job concerns. 

Biden has publicly opposed the deal, emphasizing that the company should remain American-owned, and is putting the deal through a secretive national security review. 

The transaction also faces an extended antitrust probe from the Justice Department, potentially delaying its completion.

Also Read: Canada Nickel Ramps Up Ontario’s Crawford Project: ‘We Are Confidently Moving Into This Next Phase’

3. Ioneer IONR progresses toward construction at its Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron site with the Bureau of Land Management’s upcoming release of a draft Environmental Impact Statement, marking a major milestone in the project's environmental review. 

This document is pivotal for advancing U.S. lithium production and includes measures to protect the endangered Tiehm’s buckwheat. 

Public comment on the draft will begin on April 19, followed by a final review and decision expected by October 2024. 

If approved, construction will start post-final investment decision, with production anticipated in 2027.

4. IperionX IPX entered a framework agreement with United Stars Holdings to potentially supply up to 80 metric tons of titanium products annually for 10 years. 

These products will serve the defense and advanced technology sectors, featuring uses in vehicle drivetrains, robotic motors and wind turbines. 

IperionX is developing a comprehensive American titanium supply chain, incorporating U.S.-sourced titanium minerals, advanced refining technologies and extensive recycling capabilities to produce cost-effective, high-performance titanium alloys.

Now Read: US, UK Clamp Down On Russian Metals Trade Due To ‘Its Brutal War Against Ukraine’

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