ioneer submits air quality permit for low-emission Rhyolite Ridge project in US

ioneer Ltd (ASX:INR) has applied for a Class II Air Quality Permit for its Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project in Nevada, US. The project will incorporate best-in-class technology including high-efficiency controls to reduce emissions, lowest emission class mobile equipment and vendor guaranteed sulphur dioxide emissions that are considered lowest in the US. Environmental stewardship "core" Managing director Bernard Rowe said: “Environmental stewardship is core to ioneer’s strategy and mission. “We are extremely proud that the project will produce lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide and boric acid using off-grid, internally generated zero carbon dioxide power, resulting in a process plant with low emissions of greenhouse gases and minimal hazardous air pollutants. “The selection of the most advanced, high-efficiency equipment resulting in low to ultralow emissions is further evidence of our commitment to the environment whilst producing materials essential to a sustainable future. “We look forward to the issuance of this Class II Air Quality Permit as we continue to work toward project approval.” Permit application The proposed project will operate under the jurisdictions of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP), Bureau of Air Pollution Control (BAPC) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Region 9. The permit application was produced by Trinity Consultants, an international environmental consulting firm that specialises in industrial air quality issues, with analysis of the project showing it could qualify as a ‘minor source’ for all permitted emissions. Depending on the pollutant, permitted source emissions are expected to be between 5% and 60% below the applicable permitting thresholds. Project processing plant Rhyolite Ridge will comprise an open pit quarry, an overburden storage facility, a sulphuric acid plant, an ore processing facility responsible for boric acid and lithium carbonate production, and a spent ore storage facility. The sulphuric acid plant will incorporate MECS® best-in-class sulphuric acid production technology to produce sulphuric acid. This proprietary technology, owned by DuPont Clean Technologies, will allow ioneer to limit emissions from its lithium-boron operation in an efficient process that will not only enable the company to meet environmental requirements but will also help optimise its productivity.