Future Battery Industry taskforce members named to drive...

Future Battery Industry taskforce members named to drive industry

https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov....askforce-members-named-to-drive-industry.aspx
30/11/2020 6:30 AM

• McGowan Government announces members of Future Battery Industry taskforce
• Government looking to attract global cathode active materials manufacturer to WA

Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston today revealed the members of the Future Battery Industry Strategy's Ministerial taskforce.

The taskforce, which includes mining companies, industry bodies and union groups, will actively explore local and global opportunities to grow the State's critical minerals industry.

Western Australia has all the minerals required to make lithium-ion batteries, which are predominantly used in electric vehicles, mobile phones, laptops and cameras.

The McGowan Government's Future Battery Industry Strategy has also been recharged to ensure WA's capabilities are identified in the battery and critical minerals supply chain space.

The boosted strategy will harness the opportunities presented by critical minerals and rare earth elements, which are required to manufacture defence technologies, wind turbines and solar panels, and aeroplane engines and alloys.

Additionally, the WA Government is continuing its search to attract a global precursor or cathode active materials (CAM) manufacturer to the State, following a $13.2 million commitment announced in the WA Recovery Plan.

Cathodes are a core component in the lithium-ion battery value chain.

For more information, visit https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/western-australias-future-battery-industry-strategy

Comments attributed to Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston:

"I'm excited to announce the members of the Future Battery Industry Ministerial Taskforce, who will actively explore global opportunities to grow our State's critical minerals industry.

"Developing the future battery and critical minerals industry will create jobs and diversify the economy, which is particularly important to support our State's recovery post-COVID-19.

"The updated Future Battery Industry Strategy will cement WA as a premier provider of minerals and materials, and a leader in technological expertise."

Minister's office - 6552 6700

Industry represented on the Ministerial Taskforce includes:

• Albemarle Lithium
• Association of Mining and Exploration Companies
• Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union
• Australian Services Union
• Australian Vanadium
• BHP Nickel West
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA
• Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA
• Coogee Chemicals
• EcoGraf
• IGO
• Lisle Group
• Lycopodium
• Lynas Corporation
• Magellan Power
• Northern Minerals
• Pilbara Minerals
• Primero
• Tianqi Lithium Australia

Pilbara Minerals part of the task force announced today.

And a hark back to March 2019 when 49% of the company was put on the market through Macquarie a chemicals plant was on the menu...
..... “Pilbara Minerals is looking for a partner to help fund stage two and stage three expansions – expected to cost $457 million and boost production to 1.2 million tonnes of spodumene concentrate a year – and on top of that might have the appetite to partner in building a chemicals plant at Pilgangoora, elsewhere in WA or offshore...”

Nobody ordered that dish at the time but did that recent refinance have something to do with rumours an Australian-backed downstream processing plant is soon to be taken out of the freezer ?

https://www.afr. com/companies/mining/lithium-miner-puts-up-for-sale-sign-next-door-to-albemarle-buy-20190328-p518gf

Spoiler : AFR

Lithium miner puts up 'for sale' sign next door to Albemarle buy
Brad ThompsonReporter
Mar 28, 2019 – 5.09pm

Pilbara Minerals has moved to sell up to a 49 per cent stake in its flagship Pilgangoora lithium project and dusted off plans to build what could become a fifth lithium chemicals plant in Western Australia.

The lithium miner has hired Macquarie, the adviser involved in the $US1.15 billion sale of a 50 per cent stake in Mineral Resources’ nearby Wodgina project to Albemarle in November, to find a buyer with deep pockets.

Pilbara Minerals is looking for a partner to help fund stage two and stage three expansions – expected to cost $457 million and boost production to 1.2 million tonnes of spodumene concentrate a year – and on top of that might have the appetite to partner in building a chemicals plant at Pilgangoora, elsewhere in WA or offshore.

The $1.28 billion company said it would consider a range of transactions, including off-take agreements for the $226 million stage three expansion while proceeding with present funding arrangements for stage two involving customers Ganfeng, Posco and Great Wall Motor Company.
Pilbara Minerals already has a joint-venture option with steelmaker Posco to build a lithium plant in South Korea with capacity to produce the equivalent of 40,000 tonnes a year of lithium carbonate using spodumene concentrate from Pilgangoora.

Managing director Ken Brinsden said the sale process followed interest from lithium processors, battery manufacturers, car makers, trading companies and mining companies, including some thought to have missed out in preference to Albemarle in the Wodgina sale.


“Having done the recent Wodgina deal, Macquarie instinctively know the people interested in looking at structures like the one we are proposing,” he said.
“Over the past three years we’ve had many conversations with people interested in participation in the mine and the off-take that would come with that. We are interested in pursuing that more fulsomely now because of the funding we require to continue growing mine production but also because the level of interest has continued to accelerate.”

New York Stock Exchange-listed Albemarle is at the forefront of lithium investment in WA, going on a spending spree expected to top $3.5 billion.
Albemarle celebrated the official groundbreaking ceremony on its $1 billion lithium hydroxide plant at Kemerton in state’s south-west on Thursday.
The plant will process spodumene concentrate from the nearby Greenbushes mine, where joint owners Albemarle and China’s Tianqi are funding a rolling $800 million expansion.
The US battery metals giant also appears likely to part fund an $800 million, two-stage hydroxide plant development at Wodgina in partnership with Chris Ellison-led MinRes.
The Kemerton plant is expected to employ 500 workers in construction and a similar number once operational some time in 2021.

Speaking at the Kemerton ceremony, new United States ambassador Arthur Culvahouse Jr talked up the significance of business and security ties with Australia.
“Investments from both of our countries, like this Albemarle facility, are creating well-paying jobs – hundreds of thousands of them – strengthening our economies, our communities, and our alliance,” he said.

Tianqi is building a $700 million lithium hydroxide plant at Kwinana south of Perth, and Chile's SQM and ASX-listed partner Kidman resources have picked a site nearby for their potential plant.