Piedmont Lithium applies for a mining permit and a draft loan application. (Photo: Piedmont Lithium)
Piedmont Lithium Inc., a multi-asset company focused on the integrated production of lithium hydroxide to support the North American electric vehicle supply chain, submitted two applications related to the company’s Carolina Lithium Project.
On August 30, the company filed its application for a North Carolina State Mining Permit with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources.
Additionally, on August 31, the company submitted a draft loan application to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loans Program Office for loan funding via the Advanced Technologies Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program. The ATVM has $17.7 billion in direct loan authority to provide funding to U.S. companies engaged in the manufacturing of fuel efficient, advanced technology vehicles and qualifying components supporting the automotive supply chain.
The timeline for the review and response with respect to each application is subject to the established processes and procedures of the respective responsible agency.
“Submitting our mine permit application with the state of North Carolina is an important and necessary step in advancing our Carolina Lithium Project in Gaston County, North Carolina,” Piedmont Lithium President and CEO Keith Phillips said. “We have been extremely rigorous in planning our operations, with an intense focus on safety, sustainability and environmental protections within the communities where we plan to operate.”
Phillips said the company is looking at a variety of funding sources for the project, including the ATVM Loan Program. “This program was specifically designed to assist companies like ours that are working to help build a domestic source of components and materials to support the electric vehicle supply chain in the U.S.,” Phillips added.
