20240209_ADI

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ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH S.BISER
Secretary ��a.,,,w�`
WILLIAM E.TOBY VINSON,JR. NORTH CAROLINA
Interim Director Environmental Quality
February 9,2024
Certified Mail
Return Receipt Requested
7022 0410 0003 1066 6532
Ms. J. Monique Parker
Senior Vice President, Safety, Environmental & Health
Piedmont Lithium Carolinas,Inc.
42 E Catawba Street
Belmont,NC 28012
RE: Carolina Lithium Project Mine
Gaston County
Catawba River Basin
Dear Ms. Parker:
We have reviewed the application and additional information your company submitted for the referenced mine site.
In order for this office to complete its review of the referenced project in accordance with N.C.G.S. §74-50 and
§74-51 of the Mining Act of 1971, please provide the additional or revised information in accordance with the
following comments:
1. Please provide a response to the enclosed comments from the Mooresville Regional office.
2. Your response to item 5 of your Additional Request for additional information dated January 18,2023,
states that you propose to evaluate real time monitoring data of the water generated form the above
ground waste rock pile to inform decisions for the in-pit waste rock system and rely on 12 months of
data before developing a plan for monitoring and treatment of the in-pit waste rock. The above ground
waste rock pile, exposed primarily to rainwater, will exist in a different environment than the in-pit
waste rock system, exposed both to rainwater and groundwater once the water table equalizes post
dewatering. Data from the above ground waste rock pile may act as a supplement to the proposed in-
pit waste rock system, however in order to evaluate any potential unduly adverse effects on potable
groundwater supplies or standards groundwater quality,please provide a monitoring plan for the in-pit
waste rock system.
Please note, this office may request additional information, not included in this letter as the mining application
review progresses. Be advised that our review cannot be completed until all of the items listed above have been
fully addressed.
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Energy.Mineral and Land Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 1 1612 Mail Service Center I Raleigh.North Carolina 27699-1612
919.707.9200

Certified Mail
7022 0410 0003 1066 6532
Ms.Parker
Page 2
In order to complete the processing of your application,please forward two(2)copies of the requested information
to my attention at the following address:
Division of Energy,Mineral and Land Resources
Department of Environmental Quality
1612 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,NC 27699-1612
If hand delivering or delivering by shipping company(e.g., FedEx, UPS), please deliver to our physical address:
Division of Energy,Mineral,and Land Resources
Department of Environmental Quality
512 N. Salisbury Street, 5th Floor
Raleigh,NC 27604
As required by 15A NCAC 513.0113,you are hereby advised that you have 180 days from the date of your receipt
of this letter to submit all of the requested information. If you are unable to meet this deadline and wish to request
additional time,you must submit information,in writing,to the Director clearly indicating why the deadline cannot
be met and request that an extension of time be granted. If an extension of time is not granted, a decision will be
made to grant or deny the mining permit based upon the information currently in the Department's files at the end
of the 180-day period.
Though the preceding statement cites the maximum time limit for your response,we encourage you to provide the
additional information requested by this letter as soon as possible. Your prompt response will help us to complete
processing your application sooner.
Please contact me at(919)707-9220 if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Adam Parr,PE
State Mining Engineer
Enclosures: Mooresville Regional Office Comments
cc: Mr.Zahid Khan