Supplement for EIA program of lithium chemical plant

Keliber has submitted a supplement for the EIA program of the lithium chemical plant to the coordinating authority.

Keliber has prepared a supplement for the Environmental Impact Assessment program ("EIA program") regarding the lithium chemical plant located in the Kokkola Industrial Park (“KIP”) and submitted the supplemented program to the authorities of South Ostrobothnian Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment ("ELY Center"). The supplemented EIA program involves doubling the annual production capacity of the lithium chemical plant from 12 000 tonnes to 24 000 tonnes of lithium carbonate. Approximately half of the spodume concentrate required for lithium carbonate production at a higher capacity would be produced in the mineral processing plant located in Kalavesi, Kaustinen and about half would be purchased from the international market. The supplemented EIA program also includes refinements for the waste classification and exploitation and disposal opportunities for the analcime sand.

"The increased production capacity of the chemical plant enables us to utilize the results of our active exploration and optimize the use of our ore reserves. The new capacity also allows us to evaluate the possibilities for strategic partnerships. Thus, in addition to the concentrate produced from our own ore reserves, we wanted to evaluate the potential for acquiring the spodumene concentrate from the international market and decided to complete the EIA program and impact assessments also based on this option. The imported concentrate would have the same composition as the company’s own spodumene concentrate from Kalavesi mineral processing plant. Imported concentrate would be transported to the company’s lithium chemical plant in the Kokkola Industrial Park by ship", says CEO of Keliber Oy Mr. Pertti Lamberg.

All those whom the planned operations may affect in the future can participate in the EIA process. The EIA program is available in Finnish on the company's website and on the Environmental Administration website.

A public meeting on the environmental impact assessment program will be held on Monday May 14, 2018 at 05.30 p.m. in Kokkola, at the premises of the Ykspihlaja toimitalo at Satamakatu 40.

For further information, please contact:

Kari Wiikinkoski, Environmental Manager tel. +358 50 3753204

Pertti Lamberg, CEO, tel. +358 50 5991189