Project Updates

Base camp for Cangrejos. Credit: Lumina Gold

Mine Type: Open pit

Location: El Oro province, Ecuador

Reserves: 659 million tonnes

Mine lifespan: 26 years

Cangrejos gold-copper project is an open-pit mine being developed in Ecuador by Lumina Gold, a precious and base metals exploration and development company based in Canada. 

An updated preliminary economic assessment of the project was completed in June 2020, while a pre-feasibility study was completed in April 2023. The project is expected to require approximately $925m.

The Grota do Cirilo project. Credit: OlliverQueen via Shutterstock

Mine Type: Open pit

Location: Minas Gerais province, Brazil

Reserves: 54.8 million tonnes

Mine lifespan: 8 years

The Grota do Cirilo lithium project involves the construction of a mine and lithium concentrator in Minas Gerais, Brazil. 

The mine is fully owned by Canada's Sigma Lithium. Sigma plans to develop the project in stages, beginning with the Xuxa deposit in phase one, the Barreiro deposit in phase two, followed by the Nezinho do Chicao (NDC) deposit in phase three.

Maricunga salt flats. Credit: Alberto Loyo via Shutterstock

Mine Type: Lithium extraction

Location: Near Nevado Tres Cruces National Park, northern Chile

Reserves: 479,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate-equivalent

Mine lifespan: 20 years

The Maricunga lithium project is being developed by Lithium Power International (LPI), a lithium company based in Australia, through its subsidiary Minera Salar Blanco. LPI gained 100% ownership of the project through two merger transactions with MSB and Bearing Lithium in December 2022.