Atlantic Lithium has suspended operations at its Ewoyaa lithium project in Ghana after a fatal accident occurred earlier this week.
The Australian company reported that authorities have been informed, and an investigation is currently underway to determine the circumstances leading to the incident.
The Ewoyaa project, which secured a 15-year permit in October last year, is set to become Ghana’s first lithium operation.
Half of the lithium produced at Ewoyaa will be sent to a refinery owned by US-based Piedmont Lithium, Atlantic’s second-largest shareholder, which has committed to funding most of the mine’s construction.
Atlantic plans to produce a total of 3.6 million tonnes of spodumene concentrate, or 350,000 tonnes annually, over 12 years from the site.
This output would position Ewoyaa as the world’s 10th-largest lithium project, according to the company.
The company has a market capitalization of £123 million ($156 million).