Aim-listed Andrada Mining has announced that its wholly owned operating subsidiary, Uis Tin Mining Company (UTMC), has entered into a cooperation agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to accelerate the feasibility study for the Uis lithium expansion project, in Namibia.

Under the terms of the agreement, Andrada says, the project will benefit from technical and project development assistance through a facility funded by the EU.

The scope of work is designed to advance the project to bankable feasibility level and to support Andrada’s pathway to becoming a long-term supplier of lithium into global green-energy supply chains.

Andrada explains that the EIB partnership provides strong technical and institutional support for Andrada’s lithium development strategy at the Uis mine.

Additionally, consulting services valued at up to €2-million will be provided through the critical raw materials technical assistance facility, funded under the EU–Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) technical assistance facility on critical raw materials (CRMs).

Andrada plans for the Uis mine to produce 50 000 t/y of lithium (petalite) concentrate.

Andrada says lithium will be recovered from existing processing waste streams and the company says the agreement with the EIB accelerates the project’s pathway toward bankable feasibility level and ultimate implementation.

“This partnership with the EIB is a major milestone for Andrada. It materially accelerates our lithium development strategy while validating Uis as a strategically important asset within the global critical minerals supply chain.

“By materially accelerating the lithium project stream at Uis, with a clear objective of reaching bankability feasibility level, we are well-positioned to become a recognised source of lithium,” says Andrada CEO Anthony Viljoen.

He adds that the project will deliver strong local economic and social benefits for Namibian citizens, while growing the company’s existing contribution and positioning Andrada at the centre of the EU’s critical mineral supply framework.

Ultimately, he says, this project will advance the company’s critical mineral offering, enhance long-term shareholder value and contribute meaningfully to the Namibian economy.

“Lithium is recognised as both a critical and strategic raw material under the Critical Raw Materials Act, and the EIB is increasingly backing projects that diversify supply.

“Our partnership with Andrada is aimed at developing investor-attractive projects that will maintain high environmental and social standards, while being mutually beneficial for both African and European partners,” adds EIB director for corporates and global activities Andrea Clerici.

The Uis mine exploits a polymetallic pegmatite-hosted deposit containing tin, tantalum and lithium mineralisation. The mine currently produces tin and tantalum concentrates.

Andrada says it intends to monetise the lithium contained in the run-of-mine by building a beneficiation circuit that is integrated into the tin and tantalum processing facility of the Uis mine.

The additional integrated circuit will not increase the ore requirements from the mining operation but rather will re-process the waste material from the tin and tantalum concentrator for lithium enrichment.

Lithium mineralisation predominantly occurs as petalite.

During the initial phase, petalite concentrate will be produced for the technical lithium market at an initial target of 50 000 t/y.

Previous feasibility studies towards this initial phase have advanced the project to a prefeasibility level of confidence.

Andrada says it envisages a second phase of development aimed at supplying the lithium refining industry with concentrate for producing lithium chemicals for the fast-growing battery industry.