Lakkor Tso is one of the few large, high-quality lithium brine deposits in China, containing more than 2.14 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent. The salar ranks top 5 in China and top 20 in the world in terms of resources. As lithium is contained in the lake water, the resources can be considered reserves. The project has huge amounts of recoverable resources and high resource quality with a low magnesium-to-lithium ratio. In addition to lithium, the brine is rich in minerals such as boron, potassium, sodium, magnesium, rubidium, and cesium.
Phase 1 is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023, with an annual capacity of 20,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium hydroxide, and the combined output will grow to 40-50Ktpa after the commissioning of Phase 2.
In April 2022, Zijin Mining acquired a 70% interest in the Lakkor Tso Lithium Salar in Tibet.
The project values relations with neighboring communities and takes part in local festival celebrations. Through localized employment and mining training programs for local university graduates, it provides job opportunities to local residents to help improve living standards. The project is also making preparations to adopt renewable energy systems, including solar power generation and energy storage.