(Adds comments, context) MELBOURNE, Feb 9 (Reuters) -...

(Adds comments, context)

MELBOURNE, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Australia's Pilbara Minerals (PLS) may have a small volume of spodumene, or lithium ore, that has not already been promised to other customers available for sale this year, its chief executive said on Thursday.

The tonnage from its operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region could be sold to a single buyer as a "mini offtake" or it could be sold via the company's Battery Material Exchange, Dale Henderson said.

"There's something less than 200,000 tonnes over the next 12 months and less than that moving forward," Henderson told reporters on the sidelines of a mining luncheon.

The tonnage is in addition to shipments that Australia's largest independent lithium miner has already contracted to customers that include China's Ganfeng Lithium 002460.SZ , General Lithium Corp and Great Wall Motor Co 601633.SS .

It comes from operations formerly run by Altura Minerals which it bought in 2020 and restarted about 18 months ago. Output from these operations will ultimately go to South Korea as part of Pilbara's lithium hydroxide joint venture with Posco 005490.KS .

"There's any number of interested parties ranging from car companies, battery companies, established chemical converters, new chemical converters in new domiciles," Henderson said, listing potential buyers of any available lithium ore.