Desert Lion lithium project collapses

Floris Steenkamp

The Desert Lion Lithium Project near Karibib, which was announced amidst huge fanfare recently, has died a quiet death. In a press statement on the company’s website dated 31 August Desert Lion Energy announced it was ceasing all mining operations in Namibia, as a result of the continuing decline in the global market price for lithium carbonate.
As a result of the ceasing of the mining ope-rations, several Namibian service providers are also affected. These include the port of Walvis Bay which was to handle the export of all lithium. In fact, the first export has already taken place, from lithium ore stockpiles already available at the Rubicon and Helicon mines of Desert Lion Energy near Karibib. The exports would have gone to Desert Lion Energy’s off-take partner, Jiangxi Jinhui Lithium Co. Limited.
“Namibian lithium developer and emerging lithium concentrate producer Desert Lion Energy Inc. today [31 August] announced that it has ceased all operations in Namibia in light of the continued decline in lithium carbonate pricing. The Board is currently re-assessing the previously announced 3-stage execution plan and is evaluating all available options to find a sustainable path to the continued development of its Namibian Lithium Project”, the statement reads.