Albemarle Western Australia lithium hydroxide new plant starts construction initial capacity of 60000 tons can be expanded to 100000 tons

Published: Jan 11, 2019 15:45
Source: Shanghai Nonferrous Metals Network

According to foreign media reports, Albemarle, headquartered in the United States, has begun to build a lithium hydroxide production plant in the Kemerton Strategic Industrial Zone of Western Australia. The plant will be built on 89 hectares of land and will process spodumene concentrate from the Talison Lithium Greenbushes plant, adjacent to the town of Greenbushes in Western Australia.

Last month, Albemarle announced an agreement with Albemarle to acquire a 50 per cent stake in MRL's Wodgina hard Rock Lithium Project. It will also form a joint venture with MRL to own and operate the Wodgina project to produce spodumene concentrate as raw material for a battery-grade lithium hydroxide plant, which will be built in Wodgina in two phases.

It is reported that, Albemarle Corporation (Arbor) is one of the top lithium producers, and its Telison has the largest reserves and the best quality spodumene ore in the world, Greenbushes (Green Bush Mine) in Western Australia. It also has the right to exploit parts of Atacama Salt Lake, which is the highest resource endowment in the world.

At present, as of January 10, the price of battery-grade coarse particle lithium hydroxide is about 100000 yuan / ton, and the price of micro-powder lithium hydroxide is about 110000 yuan / ton. According to SMM research, upstream manufacturers reflect that New Year's Day came back after the festival so far the transaction is significantly lower than before, there are almost no inquiries downstream. Some downstream manufacturers said that in view of the sharp fall in lithium carbonate prices in 2018 and the continued decline in lithium hydroxide in the second half of the year, they do not intend to stock up large quantities before the Spring Festival this year.

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