Tianqi Lithium has approved a $300 million investment to kick-start Stage 2 of its Kwinana lithium processing plant expansion in Western Australia.
Stage 2 of the expansion project is expected to double the processing plant’s annual capacity – from 24,000 tonnes per annum to 48,000 tonnes per annum. This project will also focus on spodumene extraction from the Greenbushes mine, located south of Perth, to support the Kwinana facility.
Approximately 200 construction jobs are expected to be extended – from the current Stage 1 workforce – for this project as well as up to 60 more to be created, especially for operational work once the processing plant is completed.
“Combining work at the processing plant and the mine, the growth in Tianqi’s operations is expected to create more than 735 construction and operational jobs for workers in Perth’s south and WA’s South-West.
“This is great news for Western Australians and I thank Tianqi Lithium for its investment in our State,” WA Premier Mark McGowan said.
Approvals for Stage 2 of the expansion are already in place. Construction is expected to commence immediately and completed in late 2019.
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Source: Government of Western Australia, The West Australian and Australian Mining