AVZ Minerals Ltd has announced it has awarded a 12-week Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) contract to Melbourne-based engineering company, Mincore Pty Ltd for its Manono lithium and tin project in DRC. Key deliverables of the FEED study include: confirm the process flowsheet, confirm all bulk material quantities to verify pricing, confirm selected equipment pricing, finalisation of the execution schedule and provide “Issued for Construction” early works drawings.

The Manono project is owned by AVZ (60%), La Congolaise d’Exploitation Minière SA (30%) (Cominiere, a State-owned enterprise) and Dathomir Mining Resources SARL (10%, a privately owned company). The project covers 188 km2 in southern DRC and hosts lithium pegmatites with a strike length of 13 km+ centred on an historical tin mining operation. The two largest pegmatites (known as the Carriere de l’Este pegmatite and the Roche Dure pegmatite) are each of similar size or larger than the famous Greenbushes pegmatite in Western Australia. The Roche Dure Mineral Resource of 400 Mt grading 1.65% Li2O, 715 ppm Sn and 34 ppm Ta is world-class in scale and grade.

Mincore has offered to accept part payment for the FEED study in AVZ shares. The shares will be issued using the last previous closing price on the day of final invoice. The company views Mincore’s decision to accept part payment of the FEED study in AVZ shares as a strong vote of confidence in the viability of the Manono project. “AVZ looks forward to working with Mincore’s team during the next 12-week period. Mincore has also been shortlisted as one of the contenders to execute the Main Process Plant EPC contract. However, AVZ will update the market on award of the final EPC contract after the AVZ Board has made its Final Investment Decision.”

AVZ Managing Director, Nigel Ferguson said: “Progressing the design of the Manono Project at this time is standard practice and has the benefit of bringing the technical design parameters to finality, thereby providing potential investors and financiers with comfort on the Manono Project schedule, capital and opex costs. It will also save significant time moving forward, as the results of the FEED study will be delivered to the successful company that is awarded the process plant EPC contract. We are committed to progressing the Manono Lithium and Tin Project in a timely manner and the award of this study is a big step on the pathway forward.”