As a key component of electric vehicles, lithium batteries have seen explosive demand growth in recent years. This surge has driven the rapid expansion of the lithium resource development industry. However, construction lithium processing plants often presents several challenges, including unstable processes, cost overruns, difficulties in multi-party coordination, and low operational efficiency. The EPCM+O model effectively addresses these issues. It is a closed-loop management approach that spans from mineral processing tests to plant operation, reducing construction delays and resource waste through integrated project delivery. This article outlines the process and advantages of using the EPCM+O model to establish a lithium processing plant.
1. Mineral dressing test
The mineral dressing test requires 50–200 kg of representative ore samples. First, the ore properties are analyzed, including chemical composition, mineralogical characteristics, and grain size distribution (mineral liberation). Next, the physical properties of the ore are tested, including hardness index, specific gravity, magnetic susceptibility, and electrical conductivity differences.
Exploratory tests are conducted to verify technical feasibility, typically including crushing and grinding tests, as well as pre-concentration and rejection tests. Crushing and grinding tests help determine the appropriate crushing circuit and grinding fineness for lithium ore. Pre-concentration and rejection tests may involve dense medium separation (DMS) or sensor-based ore sorting techniques such as X-ray or optical sorting.
Flotation condition tests are performed to optimize the type and dosage of collectors, the selection of depressants, and pH adjustment. Dewatering and tailings treatment tests are used to determine the appropriate models for thickeners and dewatering equipment.
2. Process design
The process flow is designed based on the results of the lithium ore beneficiation test. The lithium ore processing flow includes the following stages:
Ore Pretreatment: The lithium ore is first crushed and screened to a particle size below 15 mm. Pre-concentration is conducted via dense medium separation (DMS). The ore is then subjected to grinding and classification using a ball mill and spiral classifier, with the target particle size controlled to -0.074 mm, accounting for 75%–90% of the material.
Lithium Extraction Process: Whether dealing with spodumene or lepidolite, lithium extraction typically adopts a froth flotation process.
For spodumene, the flotation process usually follows the sequence: roughing → 3–5 stages of cleaning → scavenging.
For lepidolite, the typical flotation flow is: pre-desliming → roughing → reverse flotation.
Lithium Compound Synthesis: Sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) is added to the lithium-bearing solution, and lithium carbonate is produced through a precipitation reaction followed by centrifugal separation and drying. Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) is used to synthesize lithium hydroxide via a causticization reaction, followed by filtration and evaporation crystallization.
Tailings Treatment: The tailings produced after flotation occupy a large storage area. To reduce moisture content and environmental impact, deep cone thickeners, dewatering screens, and related equipment are used for tailings dewatering and dry stacking.
3. Equipment manufacturing, installation and commissioning
Equipment Manufacturing:
Mineral processing equipment is custom-designed based on the specific process requirements and optimized using data from beneficiation test results. The core equipment is independently developed by Xinhai to ensure high performance and adaptability.
Equipment Installation:
During installation, a modular design approach is adopted to enable rapid lifting and assembly. Millimeter-level precision calibration is performed using laser levels and total stations. Strict quality control is implemented for pipeline welding and electrical system safety. At the same time, the DCS intelligent control system and sensor network are deployed. Upon completion of installation, integrated material flow debugging is conducted to ensure all system indicators meet the design specifications.
4. Plant Operation
After the lithium processing plant was commissioned, Xinhai Mining continued to manage its operations, including operator training and equipment parameter optimization. An intelligent data platform was utilized to dynamically adjust reagent dosing, ensuring that the lithium recovery rate met project expectations. Additionally, Xinhai provided environmental compliance support to help ensure that wastewater and solid waste discharge met local environmental regulations.
1. Fixed-Price Contract
Through innovative planning, Xinhai tailors design solutions for each lithium mining project and determines contract value using scientific and accurate accounting methods, effectively avoiding budget overruns. A detailed construction schedule and strict assessment system are implemented to prevent repeated design changes and additional costs.
2. Guaranteed Compliance and Smooth Production
Xinhai provides customers with full-process management services and integrated solutions, emphasizing the coordination and capacity matching of main and auxiliary equipment throughout the production line. Our strong capabilities in on-site process inspection, equipment diagnostics, and concentrator supervision ensure compliance with design standards and stable production.
3. Avoiding Construction Delays
The EPCM+O model offers a one-stop, full-cycle service that eliminates the challenges of multi-party coordination. Xinhai considers equipment installation and commissioning needs early in the design phase, ensuring seamless project integration and on-time delivery, thereby avoiding construction delays.
In 2022, Xinhai Mining undertook a 2 million t/a lithium project in Zimbabwe, delivering tailored mining industry chain services under the EPCM+O model—including design, equipment manufacturing and procurement, as well as commissioning and delivery.
The beneficiation process designed by Xinhai includes:
Dense medium separation for petalite recovery → gravity separation for tantalum and niobium → flotation for mica → flotation for spodumene.
The project entered trial operation in July 2023, taking just one year from construction start to commissioning. Throughout the project, Xinhai ensured steady progress and successful advancement into the trial production stage. In the operational phase, Xinhai continues to showcase its strengths in mine operation and management, further optimizing project investment, cost, and returns.
In early 2025, Xinhai Mining received a thank-you letter from the Zimbabwe client, praising the advanced beneficiation design, reliable equipment quality, and professional operation team.
Conclusion
This article outlines the complete process of building a lithium processing plant, highlights the advantages of the EPCM+O model, and showcases Xinhai Mining's project execution capabilities through a successful case in Zimbabwe.
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