American specialty chemicals company Albemarle formally announced start of construction work on its new lithium hydroxide processing plant in Kemberton, Australia at an event last Thursday.
The company will build the plant with a total investment of AUD$1 billion ($ 708.2 million). The Kemberton site will be Australia’s largest lithium processing facility when it becomes operational. The country is the largest lithium producer in the world.
The plant of Albemarle will be able to produce 100,000 tonne per annum of premium battery – grade lithium hydroxide. Lithium – ion battery industry will use lithium hydroxide produced at the plant.
The construction of the plant is scheduled for completion by 2021 and full capacity operations are expected by the end of 2025.
Albemarle is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. It is a specialty chemicals company with positions in lithium, bromine and refining catalysts. In 2014, it acquired a 49% interest in Talison Lithium, the company says. Talison produces lithium concentrate at its lithium mineral project in Western Australia in the town of Greenbushes. Lithium has been produced from the Greenbushes operations for over 25 years and Talison currently exports over 350,000 metric tonne of lithium products annually.
