ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
Frontier Lithium is committed to the environment, in keeping with the company policy of adopting best practices in all its operations, will ensure strict compliance by obtaining all necessary approvals and certifications as required by law. We aim to meet or exceed rigorous regulatory requirements on more than 40 permits, minimizing impacts to ensure the environment is protected throughout the life of the project – from exploration, operation and closure.
Our Commitment
Frontier’s PAK Lithium Project is located in Ontario, Canada, a jurisdiction with a rich mining history and a strict regulatory process. Provincial and federal environmental regulations govern aspects such as species at risk, fish and wildlife, tailings, water quality and land rehabilitation. These robust regulations apply throughout the mine life stages from exploration to construction, production, closure and reclamation.
While this is positive, Frontier Lithium is committed to developing the PAK project in a manner that meets or exceeds environmental regulation. To do this, we must seek practical solutions to minimize our environmental impacts while ensuring we can produce a consistent, high quality lithium product.
Frontier Lithium understands the importance of Indigenous knowledge. As such, we are committed to working together with proximal Indigenous communities during all aspects of the project, starting with establishing our baseline, right through closure and rehabilitation.
Read more about our commitment to ESG (Environment, Social and Governance)
Sustainable
by Nature
The PAK Lithium Project is sustainable by nature. This means that the features of the deposit enable a more sustainable mine.
Here’s why:
Type of Deposit: The lithium comes from hard rock spodumene instead of brine, and does not require the use of wetlands as part of the lithium extraction process which is better for the environment.
Quality: The lithium deposits are high quality (averaging 1.54%) and can be made into lithium salts for electric vehicle car batteries more easily as compared to lesser quality deposits.
Purity: The lithium deposit has low levels of iron, indicating it has fewer impurities which is better for processing and better for the environment
Accessibility: The lithium is found right at the earth's surface, meaning less digging and less unwanted rock.
Size and Concentration: The lithium deposits are large, dense and are located close to one another, so mining would require a smaller land area.
The PAK Lithium Project is sustainable by design. Recognizing the importance of understanding and mitigating our impact. Frontier Lithium took early action to understand our potential impacts through a life cycle analysis (LCA) of our project and studying the baseline environment surrounding the project area.
The life cycle analysis included evaluating environmental impacts associated with extraction and production with a focus on greenhouse gas emissions while the baseline studies identified below, focused on understanding the health of the environment before any disturbance happens. These were done to ensure that we have the information needed to make good decisions on this project.
Sustainable
by Design
Regulatory
Permitting
PAK Lithium Project’s operations will meet the latest industry regulations, including stringent permitting reflective of many years of environmental studies, and safety standards. We hold ourselves to the highest standards in all aspects of our work, from health and safety to environmental conservation.
More than 40 permits from various levels of government will be required for the PAK Lithium Project, and the process of permitting is underway.
Plan: PAK is subject to provincial environmental assessment processes which will provide a mechanism for reviewing projects to assess potential impacts to the environment.
Operate: A comprehensive permitting process is completed to regulate activity throughout operations.
Close: Frontier will progressively rehabilitate the site through operations in order to return the site to a natural functioning habitat after closure.
Mine Closure & Rehabilitation
When the mine is complete, rehabilitation will return the site to a natural functioning habitat.
As part of rehabilitation:
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All buildings will be taken down and removed from site
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All mining equipment and infrastructure will be removed
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Concrete foundations will be made flat and reshaped.
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Tailings Management Facility will be revegetated and monitored.
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Mine Rock Pile will be reshaped for long term slope stability and vegetated where possible.
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Roads will be scarified, which means broken up and the surface area layer of the soil loosened to increase the possibility that vegetation will grow.
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Open pit mine will be allowed to flood with water and water will be treated as long as required.
Environmental Baseline
Baseline environmental studies establish the environmental conditions at a site prior to any site development.
Key Facts:
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Once established, these “baseline” conditions provide a benchmark against which to monitor and manage any potential future impacts resulting from industrial operations at the site.
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Studies provide information regarding site conditions and are essential for directing site rehabilitation activities.
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Studies also provide valuable information for permitting our project
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Summary Draft results of the Annual Environmental Assessment Reports and Report Summaries (2023) are available for studies below:
Study Focus
Geochemistry
Geochemistry is the study of the chemical composition of the Earth and how it changes over time. It helps us understand how rocks and minerals form, how they interact with each other, and how they affect the environment
Traditional Knowledge
The study of the knowledge that Indigenous people have about the world around them. This knowledge includes things like their history, spirituality, and ways of life.
