The Western Australian Government has launched a new prospectus to promote the state’s battery and critical mineral industries to investors around the world.
State Development, Jobs and Trade Minister, Roger Cook, had the opportunity to share the prospectus with key international partners in Germany in June.
“The Western Australia Government’s new prospectus highlights investment opportunities across the battery and critical minerals value chains, including manufacturing and exporting battery-grade materials,” Mr Cook said.
“It outlines everything Western Australia has to offer, including our abundant and diverse resources, established mineral processing capabilities, and strong environmental, social and governance credentials.”
Western Australia is already a leading supplier of battery and critical minerals. The state accounts for half of global lithium production and is a major exporter of nickel, cobalt, manganese and rare earths.
These minerals are essential to a range of clean energy technologies, including rechargeable batteries, electric vehicles and wind turbines.
Major downstream processing projects are also underway with three of the world’s largest lithium producers – Tianqi Lithium (China), Albemarle (United States) and SQM (Chile) partnering with Australian companies IGO, Mineral Resources and Wesfarmers to build and operate battery-grade lithium hydroxide facilities in Western Australia.
Since the mid-2010s, Western Australia has attracted more than $9 billion of investment for a range of battery and critical mineral projects, including the establishment of globally significant mineral processing facilities.
Operated by some of the world’s top resources companies, these advanced processing facilities provide a strong foundation for more investment in the state’s battery and critical minerals value chain, including the manufacturing of cathode active materials.
Through the Western Australian Recovery Plan, the State Government has committed $13.2 million to facilitate global investment in precursor cathode manufacturing in Western Australia.
The prospectus was developed in consultation with the Future Battery and Critical Minerals Industries Ministerial Taskforce, which includes leaders from resource companies, engineering firms, industry bodies and union groups.
Western Australian Mines and Petroleum Minister, Bill Johnston, said the Government is committed to growing the state’s participation in global battery and critical mineral supply chains, with a focus on increasing job-creating manufacturing.
“We know that attracting new investment and establishing strategic relationships with key international partners is crucial to the future development of the state’s battery and critical minerals industries,” Mr Johnston said.
Western Australia’s key midstream investments:
- Kwinana sites
- BHP Nickel West produced Australia’s first nickel sulphate crystals in September 2021. The nickel sulphate plant will produce 100,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate per year when fully operational, enough to make 700,000 electric vehicle batteries each year
- Tianqi Lithium Australia produced Australia’s first commercial quantities of battery-grade lithium hydroxide in May 2022
- Covalent Lithium has commenced early construction works at its refinery site, with production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide forecast for 2024
- Ecograf
- Ecograf’s Battery Anode Material Facility in Rockingham is progressing development approvals.
- In February 2022, the Australian Government provided conditional approval to loan up to $56 million to Ecograf to expand its proposed facility to 20,000 tonnes per annum
- Iluka Resources
- In April 2022, a final investment decision to build Australia’s first fully integrated rare earths refinery in Eneabba. Construction will commence in late 2022, with first production earmarked for 2025
Australian Vanadium - In April 2022, its Bankable Feasibility Study for its Mid-West vanadium project was released and received a $49 million Modern Manufacturing Initiatives grant from the Australian Government for its proposed vanadium mine and processing facility
- In April 2022, a final investment decision to build Australia’s first fully integrated rare earths refinery in Eneabba. Construction will commence in late 2022, with first production earmarked for 2025
- Lynas Rare Earths
- Began construction on Australia’s first rare earths processing facility in Kalgoorlie in April 2022. The scheduled date to have the facility operational is July 2023
- Began construction on Australia’s first rare earths processing facility in Kalgoorlie in April 2022. The scheduled date to have the facility operational is July 2023
- Pure Battery Technologies (PBT)
- In March 2022, in partnership with Poseidon Nickel, PBT secured a $119.6 million Modern Manufacturing Initiatives grant from the Australian Government for its proposed battery cathode active material refinery hub in Kalgoorlie
- PBT is currently undertaking a feasibility study, feedstock characterisation, product evaluation as well as optimising infrastructure access
- Albemarle
- In March 2022, Albemarle began constructing a lithium hydroxide processing facility in Kemerton Industrial Park
- Two processing trains are undergoing commissioning activities, and will soon produce 50,000 tonnes per annum of lithium hydroxide
