Mineral Resources to boost spodumene production due to high demand for lithium

Mineral Resources Ltd. said April 5 that it agreed with its joint venture partners Albemarle Corp. and Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd. to increase spodumene output from the Wodgina and Mount Marion mines in Western Australia due to high global demand for lithium.

Mineral Resources and Albemarle will speed up the resumption of production from Train 2 at Wodgina, with the first spodumene concentrate expected in July, while output from Train 1 is expected in May. Spodumene is a lithium-bearing mineral.

The companies plan to review the state of the global lithium market toward the end of 2022 to determine when to start up Train 3 and possibly build Train 4.

At Mount Marion, Mineral Resources and Ganfeng Lithium plan to undertake upgrades, aiming to increase the production capacity of spodumene concentrate to 600,000 tonnes per year by April, from 450,000 tonnes per year.

A phase-two expansion at Mount Marion will increase the installed plant capacity to a run rate of 900,000 tonnes per year of mixed-grade product by the end of 2022, the Australian mining company said. Capital costs for both stages are pegged at less than A$120 million.

In addition, Mineral Resources said spodumene concentrate feed was introduced into Train 1 of the Kemerton lithium hydroxide plant, with first production expected in May. Kemerton is another joint venture with Albemarle in Western Australia.

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