Sedgman Secures FEED Contract for Savannah Resources’ Barroso Lithium Project in Portugal
CIMIC Group’s Sedgman has been awarded a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) contract for the lithium concentrator plant at Savannah Resources’ Barroso Lithium Project in Portugal. The contract represents another important step in advancing the proposed project and builds on Sedgman’s previous engineering work, including the development of the processing flowsheet and plant design for the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS).
Under the new agreement, Sedgman will review and optimise the existing process design and advance engineering documentation to tender status. The work will cover several critical processing areas, including crushing, milling, dense media separation, flotation, dewatering, water systems and associated plant infrastructure.
The appointment strengthens Sedgman’s involvement in the development of the Barroso Lithium Project, which has been recognised as a Strategic Project by the European Commission under the Critical Raw Materials Act. The project is expected to contribute to Europe’s growing demand for lithium and other materials required for battery manufacturing and the transition to cleaner energy technologies.
Engineering Work to Advance Project Development
The FEED contract will focus on refining the engineering design established during the earlier feasibility study phase. This stage is important in preparing a project for the next stages of development by improving design definition, coordinating technical requirements and developing documentation that can be used in the tendering process.
Sedgman will assess the existing process design to identify opportunities for optimisation and ensure that the proposed concentrator plant design is sufficiently developed for subsequent project activities.
The engineering scope includes the major processing systems required to convert lithium-bearing ore into a concentrate suitable for further processing. These systems will form the core of the planned concentrator facility and require coordination across equipment, materials handling, process operations and supporting infrastructure.
The work will also address the water systems and associated infrastructure needed to support the concentrator’s operations. These elements are essential to the overall plant design, helping integrate the processing facilities and supporting systems into a coordinated engineering solution.
By progressing the design documentation to tender status, Sedgman will help establish a more detailed technical basis for the project’s future procurement and development decisions.
Building on Previous Project Experience
Sedgman’s latest appointment follows its earlier work on the Barroso Lithium Project, where the company contributed to the development of the process flowsheet and plant design used in the Definitive Feasibility Study.
A process flowsheet establishes the sequence of operations required to treat mined material and recover the target mineral product. Developing this flowsheet is a central part of designing a mineral processing facility because it determines how the material will move through the plant and which processing technologies will be required.
The FEED phase builds on this foundation by further developing and reviewing the design, improving technical definition and preparing engineering information for tendering.
Continuity between the feasibility study and FEED stages can help maintain consistency in project planning and technical decision-making. Sedgman’s existing knowledge of the proposed plant design provides a foundation for reviewing the earlier work and advancing the engineering documentation.
The contract also highlights the importance of specialist engineering services in developing mineral processing projects, particularly those involving materials that are increasingly important to battery supply chains.
Key Processing Systems Included in the Scope
The planned lithium concentrator will incorporate several interconnected processing stages.
Crushing and milling will prepare the mined material for subsequent separation processes by reducing the size of the ore. The design of these stages must consider the characteristics of the material and the requirements of the downstream processing systems.
Dense media separation will form another part of the proposed processing arrangement, supporting the separation of mineral-bearing material based on differences in density. Flotation is also included in the engineering scope and may be used to further concentrate the target minerals, depending on the project’s established processing design.
Dewatering systems will be designed to manage water associated with the processing stages and help prepare the concentrate for handling and transportation. Water systems and supporting plant infrastructure will also be incorporated into the broader engineering design.
Together, these processing and infrastructure components will determine how the concentrator operates as an integrated facility. Reviewing and optimising their design during FEED can help identify technical interfaces, clarify equipment requirements and improve readiness for the tendering stage.
Strategic Importance for Europe’s Lithium Supply Chain
The Barroso Lithium Project has received Strategic Project recognition from the European Commission under the Critical Raw Materials Act. This designation reflects the project’s relevance to European efforts to strengthen access to critical raw materials and develop more resilient supply chains.
Lithium is an important raw material for rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Demand for lithium has become increasingly significant as manufacturers expand battery production and countries pursue policies supporting electrification and renewable energy integration.
Europe’s efforts to develop its battery industry have increased attention on the availability and security of raw material supplies. Projects capable of contributing to regional lithium production may therefore play a role in reducing supply chain vulnerabilities and supporting the wider development of battery manufacturing.
The Barroso project is expected to contribute to this broader objective by supporting the supply of lithium-bearing material for the battery value chain. Advancing the concentrator plant design is an important engineering step toward establishing the processing facilities required for the project.
Supporting the Next Stage of Project Advancement
The award of the FEED contract marks continued progress in the engineering development of Savannah Resources’ Barroso Lithium Project. By reviewing and optimising the feasibility-stage design, Sedgman will advance the technical documentation needed to support future tendering activities.
The work covers the concentrator’s principal processing systems as well as water management and associated infrastructure, bringing together the engineering requirements necessary for a coordinated plant design.
As Europe continues to focus on securing critical raw materials for batteries and clean energy technologies, the Barroso Lithium Project has strategic relevance beyond its immediate development objectives.
Sedgman’s appointment builds on its earlier involvement and positions the company to continue supporting the project’s engineering requirements as it advances through the next phase of development. The FEED work will help refine the proposed concentrator design and establish a more detailed technical foundation for subsequent project decisions.
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