Core Lithium has commenced mining activities at the Grants open pit, part of the Finniss Lithium Operation in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Mining has begun at Finniss, with blasting and excavation activities currently in progress.

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This marks a crucial step for Core as it advances towards resuming full production.

The project is on track to re-enter the spodumene market by the December quarter, facilitating near-term production and revenue generation.

This phase began following the award in April 2026 of a surface mining services contract to NRW for Grants’ open-pit mining.

Grants plays a vital role in Finniss’ operational plan by supplying ore to the processing plant.

Concurrently, development at the BP33 site remains on schedule.

The optimised pit design at Grants is set to access roughly 784,000t of ore, expected to yield around 134,000t of spodumene concentrate product.

Processing of ore from Grants is scheduled to start by the September quarter.

The initial shipment of spodumene concentrate is projected for the December quarter, continuing into 2027.

Core managing director Paul Brown said: “In less than three months since FID [final investment decision], we have secured funding, awarded key mining contracts and transitioned to active mining, demonstrating disciplined execution.

“Grants provides a low-risk, near-term ore source to underpin early production and cash flow, while BP33 continues to progress as the long-term foundation of the operation.

“Our focus remains on safe, reliable execution and delivering Finniss back into production on schedule and on budget.”

The company’s Finniss Lithium Operation is located on the Cox Peninsula, 88km south-west by sealed road from the Darwin Port.