The board of Pilbara Minerals has received Board Approval for the establishment of a Pilgangoora project in WA, to produce lithium. Pilgangoora project is a joint venture between Pilbara Minerals and Calix Limited, which seeks to showcase the advantages of utilizing electric kiln technology to produce mid-stream lithium. By adopting this approach, it is projected that carbon emissions could be reduced by approximately 80 percent
Pilbara Minerals’ managing director and CEO, Dale Henderson, expressed his excitement as the company embarks on the next phase of their mid-stream strategy by constructing and operating a mid-stream demonstration plant in collaboration with their JV partner, Calix.
This milestone follows extensive studies and pilot test work, aiming to revolutionize the battery materials supply chain for lithium. The strategy is expected to bring substantial improvements by reducing carbon energy intensity, minimizing transport volumes, and generating added value at the mine site. Henderson believes that this approach could be a game-changer when compared to the traditional spodumene to chemicals processing route.
Construction cost for the Pilgangoora project.
The project’s estimated construction cost stands at $104.9 million, with a significant portion to be funded by a $20 million Federal Government grant. Calix’s CEO and managing director, Phil Hodgson, expressed his delight at the project’s progress. Both Pilbara Minerals and Calix are eager to demonstrate the potential of their electric calcination technology, which aims to substantially decrease the carbon footprint of Australian lithium production.
This joint venture’s success will highlight the possibility of leveraging Australia’s mineral and renewable energy resources along with innovative technology to ensure a dependable and sustainable supply of value-added critical minerals to the global market.
Pilbara Minerals benefits from having two processing facilities as it allows them to quickly respond to the growing demand in the lithium market by ramping up production. Additionally, this setup grants them the flexibility to customize their products according to customer requirements.
Their long-term strategy focuses on expanding and diversifying, aiming to maximize the value of the Pilgangoora Project and achieve full integration in the lithium raw materials and chemicals value chain
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