Course Introduction
The Critical Minerals Processing Facility Project Planning Course provides comprehensive knowledge and practical frameworks for planning, developing, and preparing critical minerals processing projects for successful implementation. Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, rare earth elements, manganese, copper, and selected specialty metals play an essential role in electric vehicle batteries, renewable energy technologies, electronics, advanced manufacturing, defense systems, and modern infrastructure. As governments and industries seek to diversify supply chains and secure reliable access to these strategically important resources, investment in mineral processing facilities is becoming increasingly significant. This course examines the technical, commercial, environmental, regulatory, and operational considerations involved in developing processing facilities capable of converting mineral ores, concentrates, and recycled materials into products that meet industrial and market specifications.
The course explores the complete project development lifecycle, from initial opportunity identification and market assessment to feasibility studies, site selection, technology evaluation, engineering preparation, financing, procurement, and implementation planning. Participants will examine how mineral resource characteristics, feedstock availability, transportation infrastructure, energy supply, water resources, workforce capability, and proximity to customers influence project viability. Particular attention is given to the relationship between upstream mining operations, mineral beneficiation, hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processing, refining, and downstream manufacturing requirements. The programme also considers the importance of reliable feedstock agreements, product offtake arrangements, and long-term supply chain relationships. Through these subjects, participants will develop a structured understanding of how to translate strategic mineral supply opportunities into realistic project development plans supported by technical evidence and commercial analysis.
A major component of the course focuses on process technology selection and engineering coordination. Critical minerals processing facilities can involve crushing, grinding, flotation, leaching, solvent extraction, precipitation, filtration, thermal treatment, purification, crystallization, and other specialized processing operations, depending on the mineral and intended product. Participants will explore how process selection affects plant configuration, equipment sizing, recovery rates, product quality, waste generation, energy consumption, water requirements, and operating costs. The course addresses the preparation of preliminary process flowsheets, mass balances, utility requirements, design criteria, equipment specifications, and engineering deliverables. It also examines how project teams coordinate process engineers, metallurgists, mechanical engineers, electrical specialists, civil designers, environmental professionals, and technology providers to establish a coherent facility design. Emphasis is placed on identifying technical uncertainties and testing critical assumptions before substantial capital commitments are made.
Financial planning, procurement, and commercial risk management are essential to the development of competitive critical minerals processing infrastructure. The course examines capital expenditure estimation, operating cost forecasting, project financing, economic sensitivity analysis, contingency planning, and investment appraisal. Participants will consider how commodity price fluctuations, feedstock quality, recovery performance, reagent consumption, electricity costs, equipment availability, foreign exchange movements, and changing customer specifications affect project economics. Procurement planning covers specialized processing equipment, pumps, reactors, filtration systems, furnaces, electrical infrastructure, instrumentation, water treatment systems, and pollution control equipment. The programme also explores supplier qualification, long-lead equipment management, contract packaging, logistics planning, quality assurance, and construction procurement strategies. These capabilities help participants prepare credible project budgets, develop realistic implementation schedules, assess commercial uncertainties, and establish appropriate controls over expenditure and contractual commitments.
Environmental stewardship, occupational health, community engagement, and regulatory compliance are fundamental to responsible critical minerals processing development. Processing facilities may generate tailings, process residues, wastewater, airborne emissions, chemical handling risks, and significant energy or water demands. Depending on the mineral and processing route, projects may also involve hazardous reagents, acidic or alkaline solutions, elevated temperatures, dust exposure, and waste streams requiring specialized treatment. This course examines how environmental and social impact assessments, permitting plans, water management strategies, waste characterization, pollution prevention, rehabilitation provisions, and emergency preparedness can be incorporated into project planning. Participants will also explore responsible sourcing, mineral traceability, human rights considerations, occupational safety, community consultation, and applicable sustainability reporting frameworks. The course emphasizes early identification of environmental and social risks so that mitigation measures, compliance activities, and stakeholder commitments are reflected in the project scope, schedule, and budget.
The final component of the course focuses on integrated project controls, stakeholder coordination, implementation readiness, and emerging industry developments. Participants will learn how to prepare work breakdown structures, integrated master schedules, risk registers, resource plans, decision-gate criteria, reporting systems, and project performance indicators. The programme considers coordination among mining companies, processing technology providers, equipment manufacturers, government agencies, investors, infrastructure developers, logistics operators, local communities, and downstream customers. Emerging developments, including direct lithium extraction, battery recycling, mineral recovery from industrial residues, advanced separation technologies, digital process modelling, automation, and circular economy strategies, are examined in relation to their implications for project development. By the end of the course, participants will be better equipped to prepare structured, commercially informed, environmentally responsible, and technically coordinated project plans for critical minerals processing facilities.
Duration
5 days
Who Should Attend
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Project managers responsible for developing, coordinating, or overseeing critical minerals processing facilities, mineral beneficiation plants, refining operations, and related industrial infrastructure.
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Mining project development professionals seeking to strengthen their understanding of downstream processing investments, feasibility studies, engineering coordination, and implementation planning.
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Metallurgical engineers and mineral processing specialists involved in process selection, recovery optimization, product quality assessment, and the technical definition of processing facilities.
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Chemical and process engineers responsible for developing process flowsheets, mass balances, equipment specifications, chemical handling systems, and preliminary plant design requirements.
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Mining engineers and geologists coordinating mineral resource information, ore characterization, feedstock supply, mine-to-processing interfaces, and long-term production assumptions.
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Engineering, procurement, and construction professionals involved in developing project scopes, coordinating contractors, managing technical interfaces, and preparing construction execution strategies.
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Project planners and schedulers responsible for preparing work breakdown structures, integrated schedules, critical path analyses, resource plans, and project milestone reporting.
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Cost engineers, estimators, and financial analysts involved in capital expenditure estimation, operating cost forecasting, investment appraisal, sensitivity analysis, and project financing preparation.
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Procurement and supply chain managers responsible for sourcing specialized processing equipment, industrial materials, reagents, engineering services, and long-lead plant components.
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Environmental and sustainability professionals involved in impact assessments, water management, waste planning, pollution prevention, rehabilitation provisions, and responsible mineral sourcing.
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Health and safety professionals responsible for chemical safety, dust exposure controls, process hazards, occupational risk assessments, emergency preparedness, and construction safety planning.
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Project risk managers and assurance specialists responsible for identifying technical, commercial, environmental, regulatory, supply chain, and implementation risks.
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Investors, lenders, and infrastructure financiers evaluating the bankability, commercial viability, financing requirements, and risk profile of critical minerals processing investments.
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Government officials and economic development agencies involved in mineral beneficiation policies, industrial development strategies, investment promotion, permitting, and local value addition.
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Battery manufacturers, electric vehicle supply chain professionals, and industrial materials specialists seeking to understand the project development requirements of upstream mineral processing and refining.
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Recycling industry professionals planning facilities for recovering lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, copper, and other valuable materials from end-of-life batteries and industrial waste streams.
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Logistics, infrastructure, and utilities professionals coordinating transportation, electricity supply, water infrastructure, storage facilities, and distribution networks supporting processing operations.
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Technical consultants and project advisers supporting feasibility studies, technology selection, environmental assessments, commercial evaluations, and project readiness reviews.
Course Objectives
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Develop a comprehensive understanding of the critical minerals processing project lifecycle, from initial opportunity identification and feedstock evaluation to feasibility assessment, engineering preparation, financing, and implementation planning.
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Evaluate the technical and commercial feasibility of processing facilities by assessing mineral characteristics, feedstock availability, processing routes, infrastructure requirements, product specifications, and target market demand.
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Identify and assess appropriate mineral processing and refining technologies, including beneficiation, hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, purification, separation, and emerging recovery methods for different critical minerals.
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Prepare structured project scopes, work breakdown structures, preliminary design criteria, engineering deliverable registers, and interface management arrangements that support coordinated multidisciplinary project development.
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Apply cost estimation, financial modelling, investment appraisal, and sensitivity analysis techniques to evaluate capital expenditure, operating costs, commodity price exposure, processing performance, and project economic viability.
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Develop procurement and contracting strategies for specialized process equipment, engineering services, reagents, utilities, construction packages, and long-lead components while considering supplier capability and supply chain resilience.
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Integrate environmental permitting, water management, waste characterization, tailings planning, emissions control, occupational safety, and responsible sourcing requirements into project scope and implementation schedules.
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Identify and manage technical, financial, regulatory, environmental, social, logistics, and market risks that could affect project cost, schedule, processing performance, compliance, or long-term operational viability.
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Establish integrated project schedules, milestone plans, resource requirements, performance indicators, reporting procedures, and change control systems that support effective monitoring and implementation readiness.
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Prepare a practical project development framework that aligns technical design, commercial strategy, stakeholder engagement, environmental responsibility, and implementation planning for a critical minerals processing facility.
Comprehensive Course Outline
Module 1: Critical Minerals Industry Fundamentals and Project Development
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Overview of critical minerals markets, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, rare earth elements, manganese, copper, and other materials important to energy transition and advanced manufacturing.
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Understanding the mineral value chain from exploration and mining through beneficiation, chemical processing, refining, recycling, intermediate product manufacturing, and downstream customer delivery.
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Assessment of global supply chain concentration, strategic mineral policies, changing customer requirements, commodity price exposure, and regional opportunities for mineral processing investment.
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Identification of project stakeholders, development stages, institutional responsibilities, preliminary investment drivers, and the technical and commercial factors influencing facility development.
Module 2: Feedstock Assessment, Feasibility Studies, and Site Selection
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Evaluation of ore mineralogy, chemical composition, impurities, particle characteristics, variability, expected recovery, and feedstock specifications required for process selection and facility design.
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Preparation of concept studies, prefeasibility assessments, bankable feasibility studies, production assumptions, market evaluations, and preliminary project development alternatives.
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Assessment of site selection factors, including proximity to mines, transport corridors, electricity supply, water resources, industrial utilities, skilled labour, customers, and export infrastructure.
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Development of feedstock supply strategies, sampling and testing programmes, laboratory and pilot-scale requirements, infrastructure assessments, and decision criteria for advancing project maturity.
Module 3: Processing Technology Selection and Plant Design Planning
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Evaluation of mineral beneficiation methods, including crushing, grinding, screening, gravity separation, magnetic separation, flotation, and other concentration processes appropriate to different mineral characteristics.
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Assessment of hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical routes, including leaching, solvent extraction, precipitation, crystallization, roasting, smelting, and purification where applicable.
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Preparation of preliminary process flowsheets, mass balances, equipment duty estimates, recovery assumptions, product specifications, and process design criteria for facility development.
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Coordination of plant layout, equipment selection, process integration, materials handling, maintainability, modularization opportunities, and interfaces between processing units and utilities.
Module 4: Infrastructure, Utilities, and Engineering Coordination
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Planning for electrical power supply, substations, distribution systems, backup arrangements, compressed air, cooling systems, water treatment, wastewater management, and other facility utilities.
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Evaluation of raw water requirements, process water recycling, reagent storage, chemical handling facilities, product storage, loading systems, and transportation interfaces.
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Development of civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control system, and infrastructure engineering scopes for multidisciplinary project coordination.
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Preparation of engineering deliverable registers, interface matrices, design review schedules, constructability assessments, equipment installation plans, and technical documentation requirements.
Module 5: Capital Cost Estimation, Project Finance, and Economic Evaluation
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Preparation of capital expenditure estimates covering process equipment, buildings, civil works, utilities, environmental controls, infrastructure, engineering, construction, and project management.
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Estimation of operating expenditure associated with electricity, water, reagents, labour, maintenance, consumables, waste treatment, logistics, and other recurring processing costs.
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Application of financial modelling, discounted cash flow analysis, net present value, internal rate of return, payback assessment, and sensitivity analysis to evaluate investment viability.
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Assessment of commodity price volatility, feedstock quality variation, recovery rates, financing costs, foreign exchange exposure, contingency allowances, and project bankability requirements.
Module 6: Procurement, Contracting, and Supply Chain Management
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Development of procurement plans for crushers, mills, flotation systems, reactors, filtration equipment, furnaces, separation units, pumps, instrumentation, and specialized process machinery.
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Establishment of technical specifications, supplier prequalification criteria, commercial evaluation procedures, equipment inspection requirements, and quality assurance arrangements.
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Planning for long-lead equipment, international shipping, customs procedures, oversized cargo, warehousing, reagent supply, construction materials, and site delivery coordination.
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Evaluation of contract packaging, engineering and construction procurement models, supplier performance monitoring, contractual risk allocation, change control, and delivery assurance.
Module 7: Environmental Management, Occupational Safety, and Regulatory Compliance
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Identification of environmental approval requirements covering land use, water abstraction, wastewater discharge, air emissions, waste disposal, biodiversity, and community impacts.
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Assessment of tailings, process residues, spent reagents, hazardous chemicals, dust, contaminated water, and other waste streams requiring treatment, containment, monitoring, or disposal.
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Integration of occupational health and safety, chemical handling controls, process hazard assessments, emergency response planning, construction safety, and workforce protection measures.
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Planning for responsible sourcing, mineral traceability, environmental and social governance, rehabilitation provisions, community consultation, and applicable national and international standards.
Module 8: Project Risk Management, Scheduling, and Cost Control
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Identification and prioritization of technical, metallurgical, financial, market, environmental, regulatory, procurement, construction, and operational readiness risks.
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Preparation of integrated master schedules, critical path analyses, engineering milestones, equipment delivery schedules, construction sequences, resource plans, and approval dependencies.
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Development of risk registers, mitigation strategies, contingency allowances, escalation procedures, quantitative risk assessment where appropriate, and project assurance reviews.
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Establishment of cost baselines, progress measurement systems, change control procedures, schedule performance indicators, management reporting, and corrective action processes.
Module 9: Commercial Strategy, Product Quality, and Stakeholder Coordination
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Evaluation of downstream market requirements for battery-grade chemicals, refined metals, mineral concentrates, specialty materials, and other products derived from critical minerals processing.
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Development of commercial strategies covering feedstock supply agreements, product offtake contracts, pricing mechanisms, product quality requirements, logistics arrangements, and customer qualification.
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Management of stakeholder relationships involving mining companies, technology providers, investors, regulators, local communities, logistics operators, utilities, equipment suppliers, and downstream manufacturers.
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Planning for product certification, laboratory testing, quality assurance, traceability, export documentation, customer audits, and alignment between facility design and commercial product specifications.
Module 10: Emerging Technologies, Circular Economy, and Project Readiness
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Assessment of emerging technologies such as direct lithium extraction, advanced mineral separation, improved hydrometallurgical recovery, selective refining, and digital process modelling.
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Evaluation of battery recycling and urban mining opportunities for recovering valuable minerals from end-of-life batteries, electronic waste, industrial residues, and secondary material streams.
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Application of automation, process analytics, predictive maintenance, digital twins, energy efficiency improvements, and water recycling strategies to future processing facility development.
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Preparation of an integrated project readiness framework covering technical maturity, permitting, feedstock commitments, financing, procurement, infrastructure, stakeholder engagement, risk closure, and implementation planning.
Training Approach
This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.
Tailor-Made Course
This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808
Training Venue
The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group (at a discount of 10% to 50%) at requested location all over the world. The Onsite course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, buffet lunch, airport transfers, Upskill gift package, and guided tour.
Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant
Certification
Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.
Airport Pickup and Accommodation
Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808
Terms of Payment:
Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better.
