An updated resource estimate for Tawana Resources NL's Bald Hill lithium-tantalum project in Western Australia showed a 47% increase in total contained lithium.

High-grade lithium resources now total 18.9 million tonnes at 1.18% lithium oxide and 149 parts per million of tantalum pentoxide, or Ta2O5, containing 223,300 tonnes of lithium oxide and 5.1 million pounds of Ta2O5.

Additional tantalum resources, meanwhile, are pegged at 6.4 million tonnes at 330 ppm Ta2O5 containing 4.7 million pounds of Ta2O5.

The total lithium and tantalum resource is now estimated at 25.3 million tonnes, the company said Oct. 11.

Tawana noted that the lithium processing facility is currently under construction, with the initial shipment of lithium concentrate scheduled for March 2018.