Lithium Plus Minerals Submits Environmental Report as Lei DSO Study Nears
Key Takeaways
- Lithium Plus Minerals submitted the Supplementary Environmental Report (SER) for the 100%-owned Lei Lithium Project to the NT EPA in September 2026, advancing the formal environmental approvals process that began in 2024.
- The Lei Deposit holds a Mineral Resource of 5.22Mt at 1.50% Li₂O for 78.42kt of contained Li₂O, underpinning the project's development rationale.
- Mining Lease ML33874 — a 20-year lease over Crown land — was granted on 20 October 2025, removing tenure risk from the development pathway.
- A non-binding Heads of Agreement with Darwin Port Operations is in place for product export, supporting the proposed DSO pathway via approximately 80km of road haulage to Darwin Port.
- The Lei DSO Scoping Study, assessing a low-capital-intensity underground mine and crush-and-screen development pathway, is targeted for release in early Q4 2026.
Lei Lithium Project hits environmental milestone as DSO scoping study nears completion
Lithium Plus Minerals (ASX: LPM) announced on 29 September 2026 the submission of the Supplementary Environmental Report (SER) for its 100%-owned Lei Lithium Project to the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA). The project sits approximately 80km by road from Darwin Port, and the SER submission arrives as three concurrent workstreams converge: environmental approvals, secure tenure, and a technical scoping study all advancing in parallel.
The Lei Deposit carries a previously reported Mineral Resource of 5.22Mt at 1.50% Li₂O for 78.42kt of contained Li₂O (as reported 15 July 2026), underpinning the project’s development rationale.
Dr Bin Guo, Executive Chairman
“The submission of the SER is a major milestone for Lei and brings us another step closer to completing the environmental approvals process. With our 20-year Mining Lease already secured and the DSO Scoping Study nearing completion, the key elements of Lei’s development pathway are increasingly coming together…”
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Three pillars of Lei’s development pathway now in place
The project’s advancement rests on three concurrent workstreams, each at a meaningful stage of progress.
Environmental approvals — SER now under NT EPA assessment
The formal environmental assessment process began in 2024 when Lithium Plus lodged an Environmental Referral with the NT EPA. The key milestones in that process:
- NT EPA accepted the referral for standard assessment on 4 December 2024
- Public comment period ran from 6 December 2024 to 8 January 2025
- NT EPA determined on 5 February 2025 the project required assessment by way of an SER
- NT EPA issued its direction to provide additional information on 11 March 2025
- SER submitted September 2026, responding directly to the NT EPA’s direction
The SER incorporates the further technical and environmental studies required to assess and manage potential environmental impacts. Lithium Plus has stated it will continue engaging with the NT EPA, Northern Territory Government agencies, Traditional Owners, and other stakeholders as the assessment progresses.
20-year Mining Lease already secured
Mining Lease ML33874 was granted on 20 October 2025 over Crown land. Crown land tenure provides a clear and established foundation for development planning and project financing discussions. The principal near-term regulatory focus is now on progressing the remaining environmental and operational approvals required for development.
Lithium Plus has also entered into a non-binding Heads of Agreement with Darwin Port Operations in relation to the export of product from Lei, establishing an early framework for the port access the proposed development pathway assumes.
DSO Scoping Study targeting early Q4 2026
The Lei DSO Scoping Study is nearing completion and is targeted for release in early Q4 2026. The study is assessing a low-capital-intensity Direct Shipping Ore development pathway, with the initial pathway structured as follows: underground mine, crush and screen on site, DSO product, road to Darwin (approximately 80km), then export via Darwin Port.
Key technical, operating, capital cost, logistics, and economic assumptions are being finalised and will be reported with the study. No production target, forecast financial information, or Ore Reserve is reported in this announcement.
| Workstream | Milestone | Status | Detail | Next Step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Approvals | SER Submitted | Under assessment | SER responds to NT EPA direction of 11 March 2025 | Progress through NT EPA assessment process |
| Mining Lease | ML33874 Granted | Complete | 20-year lease granted 20 October 2025 over Crown land | Advance development planning |
| Port Access | Heads of Agreement | Non-binding HoA in place | Non-binding agreement with Darwin Port Operations for product export | Progress toward formal arrangements |
| DSO Scoping Study | Study nearing completion | Targeted early Q4 2026 | Assessing low-capital-intensity DSO pathway via Darwin Port | Finalise and release study results |
What is a DSO pathway and why does it matter for investors?
Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) is a development approach where mined ore is crushed and screened on site, then transported and shipped without costly processing or chemical refining. The ore goes from the ground to a ship with minimal transformation steps.
That distinction matters because it removes the need for an expensive processing plant on site, which is typically one of the largest capital cost items in a mine development. Compared with concentrate or chemical processing pathways, a DSO operation generally requires lower upfront capital, which can shorten the timeline from development decision to first revenue.
Proximity to established export infrastructure is a significant commercial factor in this model. Shorter haulage distances reduce transport cost assumptions, and access to an established port removes the need to build purpose-built export facilities. For Lei, the approximately 80km road haulage to Darwin Port makes this model viable on paper. The non-binding Heads of Agreement with Darwin Port Operations provides an early framework for port access, though it is non-binding and subject to further negotiation.
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What’s next for Lei and LPM investors
The announcement sets out four stated next steps for the project:
- Progress the SER through the NT EPA assessment process
- Finalise and release the Lei DSO Scoping Study in early Q4 2026
- Continue remaining environmental and operational approval activities required for development
- Advance development planning, including studies required to take Lei to a Final Investment Decision
Beyond Lei, Lithium Plus holds a broader project portfolio in the Northern Territory, including the Bynoe, Wingate, and Arunta projects, providing additional pipeline depth as the company advances its flagship asset through the approvals process.
Investors exploring the company’s broader Northern Territory pipeline beyond Lei can find our detailed coverage of Lithium Plus Minerals’ Arunta rare metal work, which examines the rare metal pegmatite targets at Spotted Wonder and the data reworking program underway in that region.
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