Approval granted for Hunan's inaugural lithium mining license involving exploration-to-production conversion.

Jijiaoshan Lithium Mine in Linwu County, Hunan Province, was recently granted an official mining license by the Ministry of Natural Resources. As the province's first lithium project to directly convert from an exploration license to a mining license, it marks a new stage in the development of Hunan's lithium resources.

According to reports, the mine holds total lithium ore resources of 490 million tons, which converts to approximately 3.2443 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). With a planned annual mining capacity of 20 million tons, it is projected to yield 80,000 tons of lithium carbonate per year. The operation will adopt an integrated "mining, beneficiation, and smelting" development model, laying a solid foundation for building a comprehensive new-energy lithium battery industry chain.

"The mining license is a pivotal document for driving mining industry development," said a representative of Hunan Dazhonghe Lithium Co., Ltd. "The company will accelerate the project development to achieve the Phase I goal of an annual 20 million tons of mining and processing capacity and 20,000 tons of lithium carbonate production." Concurrently, the "open-pit first, underground second" mining method will ensure both operational continuity and sustainability. A comprehensive lithium residue harmless utilization project has also been launched, employing advanced treatment technology to effectively promote green development.

An official from the Hunan Department of Natural Resources stated that the approval of this mining license represents a concrete application of the "separation of rights and certificates" system under the new Mineral Resources Law. The direct conversion of the exploration right to a mining right following a professional assessment has significantly streamlined the approval process. Furthermore, having passed both a national-level reserve evaluation and a stringent environmental review, this case provides a valuable reference for the efficient and compliant development of mineral resources across the country.