Column: Electric dreams turn into a nightmare for battery metals
A sector that was once racing to build new supply has been closing mines and deferring projects as low prices bite into the cost curve.
Australia’s Pilbara Minerals said on Wednesday that the company and Calix Ltd had received board approvals to build a demonstration plant to process lithium at the miner’s flagship Pilgangoora project in Western Australia.
Pilbara, the country’s largest independent lithium miner, has been investigating how it can add value to its hard rock spodumene ore as it looks to grow its business, but so far has shied away from building a costly lithium hydroxide processing facility.
Instead it, with technology company Calix, will trial electric calciner technology to make a lithium phosphate product containing 18% lithium, up from 5% to 6% contained lithium in spodumene, Pilbara said in a statement.
The technology, if powered by renewable energy, can cut carbon emissions intensity by more than 80% in one of the most high energy steps of the lithium battery materials production process, Pilbara added.
Successful demonstration of the project could lead to future commercialisation of the technology at a time when global automakers are seeking the lowest possible carbon footprint for their electric vehicles and as Canada starts to develop its own hard rock lithium industry.
As manager of the joint venture, Pilbara will handle the construction and operational phases of the project.
The Perth-based company said the budgeted construction cost of up to A$104.9 million ($69.32 million) would be funded partly by an Australian government contribution of A$20 million and would be split 79%-21% with Pilbara paying A$67.4 million.
($1 = 1.5133 Australian dollars)
(By Melanie Burton and Nausheen Thusoo; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Jamie Freed)
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