14 January 2025
Pilbara Minerals Limited (Pilbara Minerals) welcomes today’s announcement by WA Premier Hon. Roger Cook MLA of the award of $15 million in grant funding from the Western Australian Government’s Investment Attraction Fund for the Mid-Stream Demonstration Plant Project (Demonstration Plant Project) at Pilbara Minerals’ Pilgangoora lithium operation in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The Demonstration Plant Project, a joint venture between Pilbara Minerals and Calix Limited (Calix), aims to construct and operate a demonstration-scale plant featuring the world’s first industrial-scale electric spodumene calciner – decarbonising one of the most carbon-intensive processes in the battery materials supply chain.
Delivering a more lithium-enriched mid-stream product has the potential for industry-wide benefits including lower carbon emissions through the reduced transport of waste, greater utilisation of the mineral resource and overall value creation1.
In October, Pilbara Minerals and Calix announced construction works not currently under contract for the Demonstration Plant Project would be paused until lithium market conditions are supportive or further government support for project continuation could be secured.
Pilbara Minerals’ Managing Director and CEO Dale Henderson applauded the State Government for backing innovation and downstream processing in WA.
“This is a great demonstration of the WA Government’s commitment to supporting downstream onshore processing and innovation through supporting two Australian companies in a project which could meaningfully reduce carbon emissions of the global lithium industry,” Mr Henderson said.
“This funding boost goes a long way to supporting the delivery of the Mid-stream Demonstration Plant project and will enable the JV to consider recommencement of the project.”
“We remain fully supportive of the mid-stream strategy and our joint venture, recognising the Project’s potential to transform the lithium supply chain through lower emissions and value-adding processing.”
The grant award provides meaningful funding support and enables the respective Pilbara Minerals and Calix Boards to consider a recommencement of the Demonstration Plant Project.
Completing the construction of this project would put Western Australia in a stronger position when lithium market conditions turn by increasing benefits to the state in the form of employment, royalites and economic diversification.
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1 Refer to ASX announcement “Final Investment Decision for Mid-Stream Demonstration plant” released on 2 August 2023. Note: the WA Government does not endorse any information, product, process or outcome, arising from or in relation to the Project (Disclaimer)