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BAtteRY MIneRALs FocUs

Clear waters for Rhyolite Ridge

We are excited to

build a long-term
relationship with ioneer,
“ share our vision
who
of facilitating security
of lithium supply to the
North American markets.
- Neale Froneman (below)

nly one final permitting hurdle appears Service proposed to list Tiehm’s buckwheat
Oto be standing in the way of US-focused as an endangered species in a move which
lithium developer ioneer Ltd beginning con- ioneer said was not unexpected.
struction at Rhyolite Ridge next year after In a statement to the ASX, ioneer man-
signing a $US490 million investment agree- aging director Bernard Rowe reiterated the
ment with precious metals powerhouse company’s longstanding commitment to
Sibanye-Stillwater Ltd. safeguarding the plant.
In a deal which surprised many but has “From the beginning, the Rhyolite Ridge
since been widely applauded, Sibanye- operation has been designed and planned to
Stillwater is taking a 50% strategic interest incorporate the conservation and protection
in ioneer’s flagship lithium-boron project in of Tiehm’s buckwheat,” he said.
Esmeralda County, Nevada. The Johannes- “We have always firmly understood the
burg-based company is also directly invest- need to protect this species, irrespective of its
ing $US70 million for a 7.1% stake in the ASX- listing status, given its small population and
listed junior. limited geographic spread along the edges of
Sibanye-Stillwater and ioneer will now the area we operate in.
work together to secure the debt financing “ioneer has invested considerable funds
component for the project which carries a into undertaking the most comprehensive
$US785 million price tag, according to last studies and efforts into Tiehm’s buckwheat
year’s DFS. management strategies to date to ensure the
Under the agreement, ioneer will remain species is not only protected, but that its pop- Neale Froneman
the operator of Rhyolite Ridge and is commit- ulations are expanded in the years to come.”
ted to breaking ground for the proposed 2.5 Speaking on an earlier conference call to hm’s buckwheat plant,” Froneman said.
mtpa mining and processing operation in the announce ioneer’s partnership with Sibanye- “I think we’ve come to some very good
second half of next year when the company Stillwater, US-based ioneer chairman James understandings through our scientific work
expects to be issued with its final permit. Fol- Calaway attempted to ease any concerns and our collaboration, and we have high con-
lowing a two-year build, first production of around the award of the final permit. fidence that we will be able to have an excel-
lithium and boron chemicals is slated for the “We’ve already received the two state per- lent result for the plants as well as for our op-
latter part of 2024. mits that are very important and very difficult erations. The idea that they cannot co-exist is
Continued preservation of an endangered to get, and we are working very effectively simply you would have to defy science… so
species of plant looms as the key to ioneer with the Fish and Wildlife Service and with we’re very, very confident about this.”
overcoming that last remaining regulatory the BLM [US Bureau of Land Management] Rowe added that a significant chunk of the
hurdle. Last month, the US Fish and Wildlife on addressing the concerns about the Tie- plus-$100 million which ioneer has invested

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