Yahoo Finance Final NC mining permit for Piedmont Lithium comes with certain limits west of Charlotte
Piedmont Lithium is moving another step closer to opening its controversial $1.2 billion North Carolina lithium mine in Gaston County after the state issued it a mining permit this week.
N.C. Department of Environmental Quality approved the final mining permit for Piedmont Lithium, which will allow the Belmont-based company to mine for lithium near Cherryville, west of Charlotte.
Receiving that permit “is a significant milestone for Piedmont Lithium,” company spokeswoman Erin Sanders said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer. “(It) is the precursor for the Gaston County rezoning process and a catalyst for accelerating funding discussions.”
Lithium is used in batteries to power electric vehicles, bikes and personal electronic devices like cell phones. North Carolina is among a few places in the world where lithium mining is possible.
Piedmont Lithium submitted its proposal in 2021 for plans to build a new $1.2 billion mine and processing plant. Piedmont has a contract with Tesla, the largest EV car manufacturer in the world, for its lithium.
Albemarle Corp., based in Charlotte, also is in the approval process to reopen a lithium mine in Kings Mountain, also west of Charlotte.
Piedmont Lithium’s mining permit for the construction and operation of the project in the Hephzibah Church Road area was approved last month but was contingent on the company posting a $1 million reclamation bond. It received the permit now that the bond was posted.
Piedmont Lithium has faced several hurdles including protests over environmental and health concerns, as well as navigating a downturn in the lithium market. In February, the company laid off 27% of its workforce as part of a cost-savings plan, as lithium prices tanked and electric vehicle sales slowed.
What Piedmont Lithium’s mine permit says
Piedmont Lithium’s lithium mine permit covers 1,548 acres, but is approved to disturb 964 acres for the mining process, according to the permit issued Tuesday by the Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources.
After considering public comments, including a public hearing in 2021, the final mine permit was issued with operational limits based on the Mining Act of 1971, the state agency said in a news release Tuesday. The provisions are related to wastewater and stormwater discharge, air quality and dust control, blasting and buffers between the operation and surrounding waterways.
Requirements include:
▪ No on-site disposal of waste generated outside of the mining boundary without state permission.
▪ A synthetic liner in the waste rock disposal pile.
▪ Surface water sampling every two weeks.
▪ Weekly monitoring of pH and water levels in monitoring wells around the above-ground storage areas.
▪ Monthly sampling and analysis of water quality in monitoring wells.
▪ Quarterly sampling of the groundwater monitoring well network nearby in-pit rock storage.
What’s next for the lithium mine plan?
Piedmont Lithium still needs other state permits for air quality and wastewater discharge, as well as approval for any local zoning regulations in Gaston County.
The company is now focusing on pursuing partnerships and funding options, Sanders said. For example a U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing loan could provide “a significant portion of the capital” required for the Carolina Lithium project, she said.
Construction is expected to begin next year after all permits, rezoning approvals, and project financing, including the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
Piedmont expects to hire over 400 employees with an average salary of $82,000.
Piedmont Lithium has joint mining operations with Sayona Mining in Quebec and Atlantic Lithium in Ghana, and another project in Tennessee.
