Lynas Rare Earths’ $800 million large-scale Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility has officially opened less than two and a half years after receiving full construction approvals.
The opening ceremony was officiated by Federal Resources Minister, Madeleine King, Chair of the Lynas Rare Earths Board, John Humphrey, and Lynas CEO and Managing Director, Amanda Lacaze.
Ms Lacaze said the ambitious project has established downstream rare earths processing in Australia for the first time.
“It was a foundational project for our Lynas 2025 growth strategy and a significant financial investment for Lynas and our shareholders.
“I’m proud of the way our team embraced the challenge. We have created a state-of-the-art rare earths processing facility and a new, future-facing industry for the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.”
Ms Lacaze said it is remarkable that a facility of this scale can be constructed, commissioned and put into production in just over two and a half years.
“I’m enormously proud of what we have achieved. The facility is fully commissioned and producing, and we have a great production team in place.
“As the only significant ex-China producer of separated rare earths, Lynas plays an important role in the global rare earths supply chain. The mixed rare earth carbonate produced in Kalgoorlie is shipped to our Malaysian facility for separation into individual products, and in future, will supply our planned US facility.”
Ms Lacaze thanked the Federal Government, the Western Australian Government and the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder for their support in the development of the Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility.
Ms King said the processing plant in Kalgoorlie will create jobs and boost Australia’s ability to diversify the global supply of critical minerals. The new plant will create around 115 direct jobs in the Goldfields region by processing ores from the nearby Mt Weld mine to create a mixed rare earth carbonate.
Ms King congratulated Lynas on the milestone and said the plant opening was an important step for Australia’s critical minerals industry and the Federal Government’s ambitions to grow the nation’s downstream processing capabilities.
“This opening is a big deal for Kalgoorlie, a huge deal for Western Australia, and a massive step for Australia,” Ms King said.
“Processing more of our critical minerals and rare earths here in this country is a big part of the Federal Government’s plans for Building Australia’s Future.
“Projects like the Lynas Rare Earths Processing Facility will deliver direct economic benefits to Australia while strengthening our sovereign capability.”
