Ann: Primero awarded Covalent Mt Holland EPC, page-8

I note that of the three lithium hydroxide refineries under construction in WA, Primero is working on at least two.
(It has advertised for workers for the TIanqi refinery over the last several months).

And this is, indeed, a “flagship project”;

The eyes of the lithium-interested world have been on SQM and WES here and I feel it is a genuine testament to Primero skills and reputation that it won this contract

cheers

https://thewest.com.au/business/con...-lithium-joint-venture-project-ng-b881997560z
$290m concentrator win for NRW’s Primeri at Wesfarmers, SQM’s Mt Holland lithium joint venture project

Daniel NewellThe West Australian
Wed, 8 September 2021 9:01AM
Daniel Newell


Covalent’s Kwinana facility will be one of three lithium refineries under construction in WA which will pave the way for further value-adding activities in the batteries space. Credit: Peter Juelich/Bloomberg

Mining contractor NRW Holdings has been put in charge of delivering a $290 million concentrator at Wesfarmers’ $1.9 billion Mt Holland lithium project.

NRW subsidiary Primero revealed this morning it had won the engineering, procurement and construction contract with Covalent Lithium for a 2 million-tonne-a-year concentrator that is expected to produce 400,000t of spodumene concentrate.

Covalent Lithium is an equal joint venture project between Wesfarmers and Chile’s SQM.

The project will combine a mine and processing plant at Mt Holland, 105km south of Southern Cross, with a lithium hydroxide refinery at Wesfarmers’ chemicals hub at Kwinana.

Wesfarmers gained a 50 per cent stake in Mt Holland after taking over Kidman Resources at a cost of $776 million in 2019.

The project was put on hold last year because of weak lithium prices, giving the partners an opportunity to revisit the development plans.
Mt Holland will produce at least 50,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide a year from the Kwinana refinery from 2024.


Primero, which was acquired by NRW late last year, will start site works next month, with the workforce due to peak at 350 people.

Primero managing director Cameron Henry said the company had been working on the Mt Holland project with Covalent in various development phases over the past 18 months.

“This project is not only a flagship project for Primero and our parent company NRW Holdings, but also a major project for WA and the further development of the State’s battery minerals supply chain,” Mr Henry said.

NRW shares opened 1¢ lower today at $1.80.

Covalent’s Kwinana facility will be one of three lithium refineries under construction in WA which will pave the way for further value-adding activities, including precursor cathode manufacturing which is a key priority of the WA Government’s Future Battery Industry Strategy.