A roaring half-year for Liontown

Liontown Resources achieved multiple milestones during the first half of the 2024–25 financial year (H1 FY25), including the beginning of production at the Kathleen Valley lithium mine in Western Australia.

After commencing spodumene concentrate production in July 2024, Liontown produced 116,854 dry metric tonnes (dmt) of spodumene concentrate in H1 FY25.

The company’s board also approved the declaration of commercial production at the Kathleen Valley processing plant, which took effect from January 1.

Liontown sold 100,240 wet metric tonnes (wmt) of spodumene concentrate at an average realised price of $US811/dmt during H1 FY25, delivering $100.4 million in revenue and $65.9 million in underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBIDTA).

The company also progressed underground and open-pit mining operations at Kathleen Valley.

“Open-pit mining was primarily focused on the main ore bench as the company built ROM (run-of-mine) stockpiles ahead of the transition to full underground mining operations, which is planned for FY26,” Liontown said.

“A total of 6.6 million tonnes (Mt) of material, including clean ore, OSP (organic solderability preservative) material and waste was moved during the period.

“(A total of 1.7Mt) of ore was mined from the open-pit at an average mined grade of 1.24 per cent. Stockpiled ore at December 31 of approximately 1.3 million tonnes was in line with the open-pit plan. Open-pit mining is scheduled to continue into Q3 (the third quarter of) FY26.”

Since commencing underground mining in November 2023, Liontown has delivered 7254 cumulative development metres, with more than half of the amount achieved in H1 FY25.

“Preparation for the transition to full underground mining operations in FY26 remains on track with underground production stoping scheduled to commence in Q4 FY25 as planned,” Liontown said.

Liontown closed the six-month period with $758.1 million in net assets and $192.9 million in cash and cash equivalents.

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