Pilbara Minerals commissions the world’s largest lithium ore...

Pilbara Minerals commissions the world’s largest lithium ore sorter

2 August 2024
Pilbara Minerals’ P680 Expansion Project (P680 Project) is now complete with the new crushing and ore sorting facility at the Pilgangoora Operation (Pilgangoora) officially opened today.
Highlights

• P680 Expansion Project officially opened, delivered on time and budget
• Pilgangoora production capacity increased by ~30% to up to 680,000 tonnes per annum
• Pilgangoora Operation is now home to the world’s largest lithium ore sorter
• Project created 350 construction jobs
• $404M capital expenditure investment by Pilbara Minerals
• Supported by US$250M loan from Australian government

The new crushing and ore sorting facility is a significant technical development and represents the next frontier for hard-rock lithium processing. It’s the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere and also the largest in the world for lithium processing, with an ore sorting capacity of more than 1,000 tonnes per hour.
The delivery of this facility is the culmination of a number of years of research, test work and project implementation by Pilbara Minerals.
The milestone was marked by an official ceremony and ribbon cutting on site with attendees including WA Minister for Energy Hon. Reece Whitby MLA, NAIF CEO Craig Doyle, and Nyamal Elders Willie Jumbo and Biddi Norman who represented the Traditional Owners of the land on which the operation is located.
The crushing and ore sorting facility, which crushes and separates the lithium ore from waste, is the final component of the P680 Project which increases Pilgangoora’s production capacity by ~30%. It also underpins the next phase of expansion to 1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) through the P1000 Expansion Project.
The P680 Project was delivered on time and on budget and is a key part of Pilbara Minerals’ phased growth strategy to unlock the full potential of the Pilgangoora asset.
More than 350 direct jobs were created during the two-year construction and approximately 300 additional jobs above the pre-P680 baseline workforce which will be sustained over the operating life of the mine.
Pilbara Minerals Managing Director and CEO Dale Henderson said the completion of the P680 Project marked an important milestone in the Company’s growth journey.
“The P680 Project is the cornerstone of our strategic growth strategy to unlock the potential of the Pilgangoora asset.
“The benefits delivered by the P680 Project are material, both through the increase in production capacity, but also by the commercial scale demonstration of industry leading sustainable technology that improves overall ore recovery in mining and reduces energy intensity through waste rejection. This further extends Pilbara Minerals’ competitive position as one of the world’s leading lithium producers.
“The success of the project can be attributed to the strong partnerships we have with government, the community, our contractors and the exceptional know-how of our team – this achievement is a credit to everyone involved and one that will create more value for the Western Australian economy.
“Financing support from the Australian Government for the development of critical minerals underpinned the P680 Project and signals the government’s strong commitment to ensuring Australia capitalises on the economic opportunities presented by the global clean energy transition.”
Western Australian Minister for Energy Hon. Reece Whitby MLA said the project will support Western Australia’s decarbonisation.
“The Cook Labor Government is futureproofing the economy through its record investment in climate action. Today’s announcement means 300 additional jobs for regional WA that will underpin our State’s ambitions of becoming a major player in the global energy transition.”
The $404 million P680 Project was supported through loans from Export Finance Australia and the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, representing a total sum of $US250 million from the Australian Government.
The scale benefits delivered through these phased expansions further strengthen Pilbara Minerals as a low-cost producer and positions the Company to fully capitalise on future demand.