Covalent Lithium, Wesfarmers and Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM) have successfully opened the Mt Holland lithium mine and concentrator project.
The project consists of an open-cut mine and concentrator, located 110km southeast of Southern Cross in the Goldfields region, and a refinery currently being constructed in the Kwinana Industrial Area.
The WA Government worked with the joint venture partners to fund and deliver the Moorine Rock to Mt Holland road, a $60 million commitment that aims to improve road safety, freight efficiency, and support the future growth of the mine.
With an expected cost of $2.6 billion, the project supports 1000 jobs during construction and 350 jobs during operations.
Mt Holland aims to produce 380,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per year, which will be refined into 50,000 tonnes of battery-quality lithium hydroxide. This is enough to power around one million electric vehicles.
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The Kwinana refinery is expected to deliver its first lithium hydroxide in early 2025.
Mt Holland mined its first ore in December 2022, and began crushing in May 2023. The concentrator was successfully commissioned in the second half of 2023 and is now in the ramp-up phase.
WA Premier Roger Cook congratulated the joint venture partners on the opening of the mine and soon to be completed refinery in Kwinana.
“This multi-billion-dollar investment in Western Australia will support hundreds of jobs and deliver a significant boost to our value-added industry,” he said.
“WA is powering the global shift to net zero, and today’s opening is a vote of confidence in the long-term future of our battery and critical minerals industries – diversifying our economy and creating local jobs for the future.”
WA Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael joined the Premier in celebrating the occasion.
“WA remains a globally significant battery and critical minerals processing hub and we are working hard to do all we can to further capitalise on this incredible opportunity,” he said.
“Lithium became WA’s second most valuable mineral in 2022–23, with sales of $20 billion and royalties of $930 million.
“This impressive increase in production has seen WA consolidate its position as the largest global producer of lithium, a rank we have held since passing Chile in 2012.”