FRONTIER LITHIUM'S FEASIBILITY STUDY CONFIRMS CA$932M NET PRESENT VALUE AND LOW-COST CONCENTRATE SUPPLY FOR PAK LITHIUM PROJECT
Updated Mineral Reserve Estimate Confirms 37% Growth in
Building on a 37% increase in mineral reserves, the Study establishes a stronger foundation for an extended mine life, greater scale, and improved economic outcomes for the Project. The Project has also been streamlined to produce a single, high-quality spodumene concentrate (SC6), aligning with market demand and enhancing operational focus.
"This DFS is a key milestone that builds the confidence to advance permitting, infrastructure, and strategic partnerships. With strong projected economics, low costs, and long-term earnings, the Project could drive self-funded future growth and support
Kota Ikenishi, General Manager of
Highlights of the Feasibility Study
Strong Project Economics (All in Canadian Dollars unless otherwise stated)
The DFS outlines a phased development plan, consisting of with a mine and mill to produce 6% Li₂O spodumene concentrate (SC6). The Project delivers compelling economics, including:
- Potential cumulative net revenue: CA$11 billion
- After-tax Net Present Value (NPV8%): CA$932 million
- After-tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR): 17.9%
- Average annual earnings (steady state): CA$285 million
- Life of Mine (LOM): 31 years
These results provide a robust basis for the Company to advance a Final Investment Decision (FID) target within the next 24 months.
Industry-Leading Cost Profile
- C1 Operating Cost1,2 (including transport): CA$602/t SC6 (
US$439 /t)[2] - All-in Sustaining Cost (AISC)3,4: CA$624/t SC6 (
US$456 /t) - Average Annual SC6 Production: 200,000 tonnes
- Life-of-Mine Stripping Ratio: 3.7:1 (waste:ore)
Concentrate transportation assumptions are based on free on board (FOB) terms at
Substantial Economic Contribution
- Over
$1 billion in federal and$699 million in provincial tax revenues expected over the life of the Project. - Additional
$645 million of OntarioMining Tax estimated for the province; - Creation of more than 230 jobs at the mine site and sustained for the life of the Project.
_________________________________ |
1C1 Cost and C1 Cost per tonne of concentrate sold: C1 Cost consists of all production related expenses including mining, processing, services, tailings handling, royalties, and general and administrative, plus treatment charges, penalties, transportation and other selling costs. C1 Cost per tonne of concentrate sold is calculated as C1 Cost divided by tonnes of spodumene concentrate sold. |
2 US$:CA$: 1.00:1.37 |
3 All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) and AISC per tonne of concentrate sold: AISC consists of C1 Cost plus sustaining capital. AISC per tonne of concentrate sold is calculated as AISC divided by tonnes of spodumene concentrate sold. |
4 C1 Costs and AISC are non-GAAP financial measures or ratios and have no standardised meaning under IFRS Accounting Standards and may not be comparable to similar measures used by other issuers. As the Project is not in production, Frontier does not have historical non-GAAP financial measures nor historical comparable measures under IFRS, and therefore the foregoing prospective non-GAAP financial measures or ratios may not be reconciled to the nearest comparable measures under IFRS |
5 The lithium conversion facility will be developed separately by Frontier and is not included in the cost metrics described herein nor in the associated Technical Report. |
Expanded Mineral Reserves, Resources and Exploration Upside
- Proven & Probable Reserves: 31.1 million tonnes @ 1.51% Li₂O — a 37% increase over the Company's pre-feasibility study published in 2023.
- Maiden Inferred Resource at the Bolt deposit: 5.5 million tonnes @ 1.23% Li₂O.
All deposits remain open at depth and with the recent Ember pegmatite discovery, located 1 km north of the Spark deposit, this further highlights the ongoing exploration upside and broader regional potential.
Frontier is advancing project financing and has commenced the permitting process which is expected to be completed within the next two years.
Table 1. PAK Project DFS – Summary of Key Results and Assumptions
Description |
Units |
Value |
Macroeconomic Parameters |
||
SC6 Spodumene Concentrate Price, |
US$ |
1,475 |
US$:CA$ Exchange Rate, Long-Term |
US$:CA$ |
1.00:1.37 |
Inflation Rate, Long-term1 |
% |
2.0 |
Project Parameters |
||
Discount rate (real terms) |
% |
8.0 |
Mine life |
Years |
31 |
Mineable Mineral Reserves, Total |
Mt of ore |
31.1 |
Mineable Mineral Reserves, PAK |
Mt of ore |
3.9 |
Mineable Mineral Reserves, Spark |
Mt of ore |
27.2 |
Grade Mined, PAK (LOM average) |
% Li2O |
1.96 |
Grade Mined, Spark (LOM average) |
% Li2O |
1.44 |
Annual Mill Throughput (LOM average) |
Ktpa |
1,040 |
Lithium Recovery, PAK (LOM average) |
% |
77.9 |
Lithium Recovery, Spark (LOM average) |
% |
77.5 |
Concentrate Grade |
% Li2O |
6.0 |
Total Concentrate Produced (LOM) |
Mt |
6.1 |
Capital Expenditures (real terms) |
||
|
CA$ M |
943 |
Sustaining Capital |
CA$ M |
137 |
|
CA$ M |
60 |
LOM Unit Operating Expenditure (real terms) |
||
Mining |
CA$/tonne of ore processed |
28.7 |
Processing |
CA$/tonne of ore processed |
31.3 |
Tailings Management Facility |
CA$/tonne of ore processed |
1.2 |
Non-process power |
CA$/tonne of ore processed |
1.2 |
Heating |
CA$/tonne of ore processed |
0.9 |
G&A5 |
CA$/tonne of ore processed |
23.7 |
Total Opex |
CA$/tonne of ore processed |
87.0 |
Other Expenditures (real terms) |
||
Concentrate transport costs |
CA$/tonne of concentrate sold (wet) |
143 |
LOM Undiscounted Cash Flows (real terms) |
||
Net Revenue |
CA$ M |
11,298 |
Total Opex |
CA$ M |
(2,709) |
Closure Bond Fees |
CA$ M |
(19) |
Operating Earnings |
CA$ M |
8,569 |
Capital Expenditures |
CA$ M |
(1,138) |
Clean Technology Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit |
CA$ M |
120 |
Change in Working Capital |
CA$ M |
(15) |
|
CA$ M |
7,536 |
Income Tax, Federal |
CA$ M |
(1,049) |
Income Tax, Provincial |
CA$ M |
(699) |
|
CA$ M |
(645) |
After Tax Cash Flow |
CA$ M |
5,144 |
Cost Metrics (real terms) |
||
C1 Cost2, 4 |
CA$/tonne of concentrate sold |
602 |
All-In Sustaining Cost (AISC)3, 4 |
CA$/tonne of concentrate sold |
624 |
Notes: 1. The inflation rate is used in the tax, depreciation, and working capital calculations only. The results of these calculations are deflated using the same inflation rate for use in the cash flow model. 2. C1 Cost and C1 Cost per tonne of concentrate sold: C1 Cost consists of all production related expenses including mining, processing, services, tailings handling, royalties, and general and administrative, plus treatment charges, penalties, transportation and other selling costs. C1 Cost per tonne of concentrate sold is calculated as C1 Cost divided by tonnes of spodumene concentrate sold. 3. All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) and AISC per tonne of concentrate sold: AISC consists of C1 Cost plus sustaining capital. AISC per tonne of concentrate sold is calculated as AISC divided by tonnes of spodumene concentrate sold. 4. C1 Costs and AISC are non-GAAP financial measures or ratios and have no standardised meaning under IFRS Accounting Standards and may not be comparable to similar measures used by other issuers. As the Project is not in production, Frontier does not have historical non-GAAP financial measures nor historical comparable measures under IFRS, and therefore the foregoing prospective non-GAAP financial measures or ratios may not be reconciled to the nearest comparable measures under IFRS. 5. G&A Opex presented in this section includes allowances for operations insurance and community program payments. 6. Numbers may not add due to rounding. |
Mineral Resource and Reserves Estimate
The Mineral Resource Estimates for the Project were based on 10,008 metres (m) drilled in 54 drillholes plus 244 m of surface channels at PAK; 22,956 m in 77 drillholes plus 363 m of channels at Spark and 3,085 m in 15 drillholes plus 134 m of channels at Bolt.
Table 2: Summary of the Mineral Resource Estimate
|
Deposit |
Category |
Li2O Cut Off Grade (%) |
Tonnage (kt) |
Li2O Grade (%) |
Contained Li2O (kt) |
|
PAK |
Measured |
0.65 |
2,585 |
2.03 |
52 |
Indicated |
1,521 |
1.96 |
30 |
|||
Measured + Indicated |
4,106 |
2.00 |
82 |
|||
Inferred |
122 |
1.50 |
2 |
|||
Spark |
Measured |
0.65 |
13,796 |
1.54 |
212 |
|
Indicated |
17,304 |
1.41 |
244 |
|||
Measured + Indicated |
31,100 |
1.47 |
456 |
|||
Inferred |
10,954 |
1.53 |
167 |
|||
Bolt |
Measured + Indicated |
0.65 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Inferred |
5,516 |
1.23 |
68 |
|||
Total |
Measured |
0.65 |
16,381 |
1.61 |
264 |
|
Indicated |
18,825 |
1.45 |
273 |
|||
Measured + Indicated |
35,206 |
1.53 |
538 |
|||
Inferred |
16,592 |
1.43 |
237 |
|||
Underground |
PAK |
Measured |
0.80 |
- |
- |
- |
Indicated |
1,703 |
2.39 |
41 |
|||
Measured + Indicated |
1,703 |
2.39 |
41 |
|||
Inferred |
1,995 |
2.19 |
44 |
1. The Mineral Resource Estimate has been estimated using the |
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2. Inferred Mineral Resources are exclusive of the Measured and Indicated Resources. |
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3. In-pit Resources are constrained by Pseudoflow optimized pit shells using HxGn MinePlanTM 3D |
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4. Pit shells were developed using pit slopes of 45 0 for PAK and Bolt and 43 degrees for Spark, sales price of U$1,500/t for 6.0% Li2O chemical grade concentrate, exchange rate of 1.30 CA$/US$, mining costs of |
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5. In-pit estimates are reported in-situ, at a cut-off grade of 0.65% Li2O. |
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6. Underground mining stope optimization was performed using |
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7
. Stope shapes were developed using a sales price of |
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8. Underground resources were estimated using a cut-off grade of 0.80% Li2O. |
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9 . Resource estimations were interpolated using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW2); variable densities were also interpolated using the same method. |
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10
. The effective date of the Mineral Resource Estimate is
|
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11
. The independent and Qualified Person for the Mineral Resource Estimate, as defined by NI 43-101, is Schadrac Ibrango, |
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11. Figures have been rounded to an appropriate level of precision for the reporting of Mineral Resources. Thus, totals may not compute exactly as shown. |
Table 3: Summary of Mineral Reserve Estimate
|
Deposit |
Category |
Li2O Cut Off Grade (%) |
Diluted Tonnage (kt) |
Li2O Grade (%) |
Contained Li2O (kt) |
|||||
PAK |
Proven |
0.65 |
2,520 |
1.97 |
50 |
||||||
Probable |
1,427 |
1.94 |
28 |
||||||||
Proven + Probable |
3,947 |
1.96 |
77 |
||||||||
Spark |
Proven |
0.65 |
13,670 |
1.51 |
206 |
||||||
Probable |
13,514 |
1.37 |
185 |
||||||||
Proven + Probable |
27,183 |
1.44 |
392 |
||||||||
Total |
Proven |
0.65 |
16,190 |
1.58 |
256 |
||||||
Probable |
14,941 |
1.42 |
213 |
||||||||
Proven + Probable |
31,131 |
1.51 |
469 |
Notes: |
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1. The Mineral Reserve Estimate has been estimated using the |
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2. The mineral reserve was derived from a pit limit analysis and detailed pit design using Measured and Indicated Resources at a cut-off grade of 0.65% Li ₂ O. |
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3. Pit optimization was performed using pit slopes of 45° for PAK and Bolt and 43° degrees for Spark, sales price of U$1,500/t for 6.0% Li2O chemical grade concentrate, exchange rate of 1.30 US/CAD, mining costs of |
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4. For PAK, the pit shell selected for the ultimate pit design is RF 0.60, based on a selling price of |
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5. For the PAK and SPARK deposit, the mineral reserve estimate includes external dilution and mining loss. |
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6. PAK mineral reserves are based on a pit design with a 5.9 stripping ratio. SPARK mineral reserves are based on a pit design with a 3.3 stripping ratio. |
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7. The effective date of the Mineral Reserve Estimate is
|
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8. The independent and Qualified Person for the Mineral Reserve Estimate, as defined by NI 43-101, is |
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9. Figures have been rounded to an appropriate level of precision for the reporting of Mineral Reserves. As a result, totals may not compute exactly as shown. |
Table 4: Comparison of 2023 and 2025 Mineral Reserve Estimates
2025 - DFS Reserve |
2023 - PFS Reserve |
Increase kts Li2O (PFS-DFS) |
||||||||
Cut-off Li2O% |
Resource Category |
Tonnage (kt) |
Li2O % |
kts Li2O |
Cut-off Li2O% |
Resource Category |
Tonnage (kt) |
Li2O % |
kts Li2O |
|
PAK - |
PAK - |
|||||||||
0.65 |
Proven |
2,520 |
1.97 |
50 |
0.65 |
Proven |
- |
- |
- |
|
Probable |
1,427 |
1.94 |
28 |
Probable |
4,041 |
1.79 |
72 |
-62 % |
||
Proven-Probable |
3,947 |
1.96 |
77 |
Proven-Probable |
4,041 |
1.79 |
72 |
7 % |
||
Spark - |
Spark - |
|
||||||||
0.65 |
Proven |
13,670 |
1.51 |
206 |
0.65 |
Proven |
- |
- |
- |
|
Probable |
13,514 |
1.37 |
185 |
Probable |
18,028 |
1.50 |
270 |
-32 % |
||
Proven-Probable |
27,183 |
1.44 |
392 |
Proven-Probable |
18,028 |
1.50 |
270 |
45 % |
||
|
|
|
||||||||
0.65 |
Proven |
16,190 |
1.58 |
256 |
0.65 |
Proven |
- |
- |
- |
|
Probable |
14,941 |
1.42 |
212 |
Probable |
22,069 |
1.55 |
343 |
-38 % |
||
Proven-Probable |
31,131 |
1.51 |
469 |
Proven-Probable |
22,069 |
1.55 |
343 |
37 % |
Project Economics
With projected net revenue of
The long-term spodumene concentrate price assumption of
The base case for the
Operating and capital costs for the Project have a more moderate sensitivity impact. A 20% decrease in total Opex lifts NPV to
Overall, the
Project Schedule
The overall schedule for the Mine and Mill segment of the
Prior to advancing the Project to detailed engineering, the Project schedule will be revisited and is subject to final design engineering, permitting approvals, infrastructure upgrades, market conditions and project financing activities. In addition, Frontiers intends to actively pursue opportunities to optimize capital and operating costs, as well as potential resource expansion, for integration to enhance overall Project efficiency.
Project Advancement & Opportunity Optimization
Frontier remains committed to advancing the mine and mill towards production, while identifying opportunities to optimize the broader integrated development. Key ongoing activities supporting this goal include:
- Progressing through the permitting process while actively engaging and consulting with First Nations and with governmental agencies. The next major permitting milestones are Environmental Compliance Approval - Air Emissions and Noise; Industrial Sewage and the Closure Plan.
- Advancing development of all-season road access and infrastructure in the region through engagement and consultation with First Nations and with federal and provincial support.
These actions are consistent with Frontier's goal of advancing the fully integrated
Report Filing
The complete NI 43-101 technical report associated with the DFS will be available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca under the Company's issuer profile, as well as the Company's website at www.frontierlithium.com within 45 calendar days of this press release.
Qualified Persons
All scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by QP Schadrac Ibrango,
About
About the
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements contained in this news release may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: estimated mineral resources, estimated capital costs and timing to construct mine facilities, estimated operating costs (including sustaining costs and improvements in respect thereof), all estimates and assumptions relating to the economic analysis and financial summaries, the duration of payback periods, expected strip ratios, estimated amounts of future production, estimated accumulated revenues, estimated cash flows, lithium prices and assumptions, net present value, internal rate of return, the DFS, technical report, the pre-feasibility study and its assumptions, and statements that address future production, resource and reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects.
Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include: the Company may not develop its mineral projects into a commercial mining operations, lithium prices and assumptions as the lithium market continues to evolve to a more centralized market and away from a concentrated market in
Neither the
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