U.S.-based Atlas Lithium has received the operational permit for its Neves project from the government of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
With this positive decision, Atlas Lithium has all the needed authorizations to assemble and run its processing plant and develop open-pit mining operations at one of its lithium deposits. This permit marks a crucial milestone toward Atlas’ goal of transitioning to a lithium producer.
On October 25, a voting board composed of 12 representatives from the local civil society and government unanimously approved Atlas Lithium’s license application for its Neves project, resulting in the formal issuance of the permit. On October 26, 2024, the permit was formally published in the official gazette of the Minas Gerais government.
This outcome follows the technical recommendation for approval issued by the Environmental Foundation of Minas Gerais in September 2024.
The permit authorizes Atlas Lithium to assemble and operate its lithium processing plant, to process mined ore from one of its deposits at the facility, and to sell the lithium concentrate that it produces. This key development comes after an extensive technical review process by regulatory agencies that began with the company’s initial permit application on September 1, 2023.
“Atlas Lithium’s permit reflects fourteen months of our team’s meticulous work throughout the licensing process and showcases our unwavering commitment to developing an environmentally responsible and sustainable operation in Brazil’s Lithium Valley – a mineral district which is rapidly establishing itself as a premier location in the global lithium supply chain,” said CEO Marc Fogassa. “This milestone marks a key step for us towards becoming a lithium producer and advances Atlas Lithium into the next phase of our growth trajectory.”
Atlas Lithium also owns equity stakes in Apollo Resources, a private iron company, and Jupiter Gold, which owns gold and quartzite.
Source: Atlas Lithium