The exchange will work Fastmarkets to provide the reference price lithium, a key component in the batteries that power electric vehicles and high-tech devices.
The company will focus on the Wedge, Fork, and Russet South satellite deposits with the object of converting and growing mineral resources used in the recently released preliminary economic assessment (PEA).
Vale said the Sul Superior dam, located just 1.5 km from the mine, remains intact and that it continues to be monitored 24/7 via radar, drones and a robotic station capable of detecting the slightest movements.
Investors worry a referendum on mining in Imbabura, the province in which its flagship Cascabel copper-gold project is located, could jeopardize the mine's future.
Vale said risk of a new dam break as a consequence of an unstable embankment at Gongo Soco open pit, in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, are now minimal.
President and CEO Mark Bristow said the company expected to complete a feasibility study for the project, which could extend the life of the mine into the 2030s.
