Ann: Mineral Resources Project Update, page-51

On the 8th of October a works approval was granted to MRL for construction at 2 Thorpe Way Kwinana Beach. Perhaps some locals could go for a drive?

The works application lodged in September gives a scheduled commissioning date of November

https://www.der.wa.gov.au/component...m_all=graphite&moduleId=94&Itemid=175

"Mineral Resources Limited (MRL) has entered into a cooperation agreement with Hazer Group regarding the development of a process to produce synthetic graphite from natural gas and a catalyst. Synthetic graphite is used predominately in electrodes, but is expected to grow in demand for batteries and other applications.

Hazer Group has been operating a pilot scale graphite production plant for the past 1.5 years at St Marys in New South Wales. Under the cooperation agreement, MRL has undertaken to develop an alternative designed pilot scale plant located at MRL’s Kwinana premises. In addition, Hazer will be relocating their plant to MRL’s Kwinana premises to continue the testing program of that process design.

The graphite production process is endothermic with energy provided via electrical heating. The reactor vessels from each plant will be purged with nitrogen gas prior to introduction of methane. Waste purge gases, tail gases and gases discharged from activated pressure relief valves from each plant will be discharged to atmosphere via dedicated multi-vent stacks that extend above the building roof line.

Both plants will be located under an open sided roofed area 12 m x10 m x 7.5 m high. Adjacent to the plant site is a warehouse and office building, which will be refurbished to accommodate the control room for both pilot plants. Storage tanks for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and nitrogen will be installed adjacent to the pilot plants.

The MRL plant is scheduled for commissioning in November 2018."

From the September application:
The Hazer pilot plant has already been constructed is currently in use in NSW. It will be transported to the Kwinana Plant Site to continue the test work on that design.

The MRL pilot plant is currently under construction and once completed will be transported to the Kwinana Plant site for installation, commissioning and operation.

The Hazer and MRL pilot plants will be of similar design, however the MRL will have smaller throughput capabilities as detailed in Table 2. In addition, the MRL pilot plant will be designed for increased gas efficiency and continuous operations. The Hazer pilot plant is designed for batch operations.

Of interest is that the plant is located just 1.1km from BOC gas

Location of new plant