Piedmont Lithium Officially Obtains Mining Permit

1:24 AM EST |May 8, 2024|Wise News Network|, , , , ,

By: WNN Staff

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Erin Sander, vice president of corporate communications and investor relations, giving a presentation to the WNN at the Piedmont Lithium Exploration Office. March 21, 2024, by Mason Beam (WNN).

RALEIGH, NC (WNN) – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources (DEMLR) has granted Piedmont Lithium its N.C. state mining permit. Piedmont learned its permit would be approved in April.

In April, Piedmont learned its permit would be approved, but it was not granted until today, May 7, 2024. With the permit now granted, Piedmont can proceed with obtaining the remaining permits.

The permit approval process started in 2021. Based on the company’s permit application, additional information responses, and a public hearing that occurred in 2021, DEMLR granted Piedmont the permit with operational limits.

Operational Limits:

“Operational limits” refer to specific boundaries imposed on a facility or operation to regulate its activities within certain parameters. These constraints may include:

  • Wastewater and Stormwater Discharge Limits
  • Air Quality and Dust Control Measures
  • Blasting Regulations
  • Buffer Zones
  • Waste Management Requirements
  • Water Monitoring Obligations
  • Compliance with Additional Permits

The permit was issued based on Piedmont’s compliance with the Mining Act of 1971. A press release from DEMLR stated that Piedmont must use a synthetic liner for its waste rock disposal pile, as well as in-depth water monitoring systems.

The press release provided details about the water monitoring systems. These attributes include:

  • Surface water sampling every two weeks.
  • Weekly monitoring of pH and water levels in monitoring wells around the above-ground storage areas.
  • Monthly sampling and analysis of water quality in monitoring wells.
  • Quarterly sampling of the groundwater monitoring well network nearby in-pit rock storage.

Piedmont still needs to obtain air quality and wastewater discharge permits before construction can commence. This is an ongoing story; stay tuned to WNN for further developments.

A correction was made to a pervious WNN article that discussed Piedmont’s permit approval. WNN changed the headline to clarify that the permit had not been granted, it had been approved. The permit was officially granted on May 7, 2024, but Piedmont learned they would receive the permit on April 15. 

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