By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA- A UK-based Jupiter Lithium Ltd (“Jupiter Lithium”), owner of Basin Mining Ltd and Range Mining Limited, has entered into a partnership with American Resources Corporation’s wholly owned subsidiary, ReElement Technologies Corporation (“ReElement”), a leading provider of high performance refining capacity of rare earth and critical battery elements, to develop Nigeria’s first large-scale lithium deposit spanning 442 square kilometers of high-quality, lithium-rich terrain.

ReElement Technologies’ exclusive offtake for the Jupiter Project will provide the local market with 99.9%+ pure lithium carbonate and this project will not only catalyze downstream advanced manufacturing but is will also create sustained local improvements in host communities through infrastructure upgrades, including access to potable water, electrification, and education scholarships.

By developing its domestic lithium resources, Nigeria has the potential to become a major player in the global battery metals market as this project represents a significant step forward for both companies and the future of electric vehicle development.

The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, ReElement Technologies, Mark Jensen, pointed out that the significance of the partnership will catalyze advanced manufacturing in the region with local partners stating.

Jensen said: “We are excited to sign our first large-scale spodumene supplier partnership to be refined in the region.”

According to him, ReElement has a technology that is environmentally safer, more cost efficient and able to be deployed throughout the world and this enables partnering nations to maximize the value of their natural resources while advancing job creation through expanded and innovative industrialization.

“The Jupiter team and project are absolutely world class, and we believe together we can quickly unlock the potential to be one of the largest lithium projects worldwide that can be produced in the lowest quartile of costs”, he added.

Meanwhile, the Chairman Jupiter Lithium Limited, Stephen Davis, said, “This remarkable discovery caps two decades of work in Nigeria understanding Nigeria’s minerals endowment and the scale of the Jupiter lithium discovery has the potential to provide the momentum required to commence Nigeria’s transition from a reliance on oil and gas to clean, solid energy.

“The downstream processing of the ore to concentrate and carbonate in-region opens the door to a new phase in the development of Nigeria’s energy and mining sector and numerous economic opportunities.”

The Jupiter Critical Minerals Project is a significant lithium deposit set to become Nigeria’s flagship lithium mine.

The Jupiter Critical Minerals Project is poised to become a transformative project for Nigeria, with the potential to establish the country as a regional hub for lithium mining and downstream battery and Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing.

The project is expected to develop significant production capacity, supporting a robust local industry and Jupiter Lithium is focused on expanding its operations from the current contract mining to large-scale owner operations to include a spodumene concentrator facility to produce an initial 55,000 tonnes of six per cent lithium spodumene concentrate annually and the first concentrate production from the plant is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025, ramping up 167,000 tonnes within two years.

Pursuant to the MoU, ReElement is designing for the construction of its lithium and critical mineral refinery to refine spodumene concentrate into high-purity, battery-grade lithium carbonate and other critical minerals produced.