https://www.paxnetnews.com/articles/50694
POSCO rechargeable battery core 'lithium investment' cruise
Entering the Euphorbia Press : 2019.07.23 15:03
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10 trillion won of lithium investment for the next five years .. Establishment of stable production system in 2021
Philabara's joint venture with POSCO, Australia's Filang Gura mine (photo: POSCO)
The rechargeable battery material business, which POSCO is actively pursuing as a next-generation growth engine, is undergoing a cruise. In particular, investments are being actively made to secure stable lithium, the core material of secondary batteries.
"We are continuing to invest in lithium, the core material of secondary batteries, in the 2Q conference call held on the 23rd," said Park Hyun, POSCO's director of secondary battery materials business. Based on our investment, we will be able to build a stable lithium production system in 2021. "
POSCO has been investing in lithium, a secondary battery material, since last year. The company plans to actively nurture the lithium business as a new growth engine by investing a total of W10tn over the next five years.
In August of last year, it signed an agreement with Galaxy Resources, an Australian resource development company, to acquire the US $ 280 million in Argentina. It is located on the northern side of Lake Hombre Muerto, northwest of Argentina. It is 17,500 hectares (ha), about 1/3 of Seoul's total area. Lee has brine that can produce 25,000 tons of lithium each year for the next 20 years.
Completion of local mineral rights registration in February and environmental impact assessment is proceeding smoothly. The company plans to start the demo plant in August and start the trial operation for one year next year (2020). Since then, POSCO has been developing its own lithium extraction technology from the first half of 2021, and will start production in earnest.
In February of last year, we signed a contract to purchase lithium concentrate with Pilbara Minerals (Pilbara Minerals).
Phil Ba is a developer of mine listed on the Australian Stock Exchange since it was founded in 2005 and holds a 100% stake in Gura Mining in Western Australia. Western Australia 'Guilin Lithium-Tantalum Mine' is located 120 km southeast of Port Hedland in Western Australia's export port. Lithium ore is one of the largest lithium mines in the world, accounting for 226 million tons.
POSCO acquired a 4.7% stake in Philabara (equivalent to AU $ 79.5 million) with a corresponding convertible bond and signed a long-term contract. this year
The company plans to procure up to 240,000 tons of lithium concentrate per year (capable of producing 30,000 tons of lithium) annually.
In order to digest this in Korea, POSCO plans to cooperate with Pilbara to construct a lithium production plant with a capacity of 40,000 tons per year in Yulchon Industrial Complex by 2020. POSCO has 70% ownership of the joint venture.
"The Lithium production plant that is jointly invested with Philabaras in Australia will start commercial construction in Korea in the second half of the year based on the operation of the demonstration plant that was carried out in 2017 ~ 2018," said Park Hyun, director of the secondary battery material business.
Lithium is expected to be supplied to POSCO Chemical, which produces cathode materials, POSCO-Cobalt Cobalt Cathode Material Corporation, and major Korean secondary battery makers. POSCO's rechargeable battery business is expected to become even more resilient once the stable supply system for lithium, the core material of POSCO's lithium steel co-procurement, construction of a domestic lithium production plant and securing of salt in Argentina, is completed.
Eun-jong reporter
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