Tag Archives: Greenbushes

Greenbushes hard-rock lithium mine to undergo Australia-first IRMA scrutiny

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Talison Lithium Pty Ltd has announced that its Greenbushes lithium operation will be the first mine in Australia to undergo a third-party independent assessment against the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) Standard for Responsible Mining.

The decision to volunteer Greenbushes for IRMA audit reflects Talison’s commitment to responsible mining practices and transparency, the company says.

Located 250 km south of Perth in Western Australia, the Greenbushes lithium operation has been a leader in the Australian hard-rock lithium sector for over 40 years. Renowned globally for its high-quality ore reserves, it is a key supplier of lithium.

The IRMA assessment will be conducted by SCS Global Services, an IRMA-approved independent audit firm, and will include a comprehensive two-stage process: a desktop review (Stage 1) followed by an on-site audit (Stage 2).

Ian McGuire, Interim Managing Director, Talison, said: “We care about a better future – and we know our stakeholders do as well. Whether it be employees, the community, or customers, we want them to know we are committed to responsible mining and production practices.

“To achieve this, we need to provide those affected by our mine with the information they need to engage in meaningful dialogue about where Talison is achieving best practice, and where there is more work to be done. That’s why we’re conducting an IRMA audit.”

IRMA Executive Director, Aimee Boulanger, added: “By volunteering Greenbushes for independent audit against the world’s most rigorous global mining standard, Talison is providing unprecedented transparency into the operations of an Australian mine. They are effectively putting themselves under a microscope and welcoming affected stakeholders to examine their mine and help them make their mine more responsible”.

IRMA is (1) a voluntary mining standard describing best practices to protect people and the environment; (2) an assurance process to measure mines against that standard; and (3) an organisation equally governed by representatives of six affected stakeholder sectors – communities, organised labour, NGOs, finance, purchasers and mining companies – that controls the standard and the assurance process.

Talison, a wholly owned subsidiary of Windfield Holdings Pty Ltd – privately held by Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia, a joint venture between Tianqi Lithium Corporation and IGO Limited (holding 51%, and Albemarle Corporation holding 49% – operates the Greenbushes lithium operation.

Monadelphous to construct new chemical plant at Talison’s Greenbushes lithium mine

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Monadelphous Group has secured what it says is a major contract for the construction of the Chemical Grade Plant 3 (CGP3) at Talison Lithium’s Greenbushes site in the south west of Western Australia.

The multidisciplinary contract, valued at approximately A$160 million ($102 million), covers the installation of a new crushing and screening facility and lithium concentrate processing plant. It also includes associated tank and piping fabrication works and electrical supply.

Monadelphous Managing Director, Zoran Bebic, said the award of this contract follows a successful period of early contractor involvement.

“We are delighted to have secured this key opportunity which further extends our participation in the development of Talison Lithium’s Greenbushes operations,” Bebic said.

Work will commence on site later this year and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025.

The mining and processing operations at Greenbushes have been upgraded and expanded over the decades to increase production and incorporate new technologies as demand for lithium minerals has grown. The development of this third chemical grade lithium processing plant at Greenbushes will enable Talison to continue to supply the downstream lithium processing facilities of its shareholders currently being established in Western Australia and its facilities in China.

NRW subsidiary wins drill and blast contract at Talison’s Greenbushes lithium mine

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NRW Holdings’ wholly-owned subsidiary, Action Drill & Blast Pty Ltd, has been issued a notice of award by Talison Lithium Australia for drill and blast services at the Greenbushes lithium mine in Western Australia.

This award follows the longstanding relationship Action has with Talison Lithium since Action commenced drill and blast activities on site in 2011.

The seven-year (plus two-year option) contract is valued at circa-A$300 million ($213 million) over the initial period and is scheduled to commence in July 2023.

The scope of works under the contract include ore, waste, pre-split and RC grade control drilling together with loading, stemming and initiation of bulk explosives. Plant requirements for the project will be sourced from within the Action business together with new equipment capital expenditure of circa-A$30 million over the life of the contract, it said.

The contract will require a peak workforce of some 160 personnel, including the 56 currently employed on site.

Action said the majority of the workforce will be sourced from the local community, building on current relationships and training programs.

Together with its predecessor company, Talison Lithium has been producing lithium concentrates at Greenbushes since 1983, which are ultimately used in lithium-ion batteries. The Greenbushes project, directly south and adjacent to the town of Greenbushes in Western Australia, is a major supplier of lithium mineral concentrates.

Macmahon confirms mining gig at Greenbushes lithium project

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Macmahon Holdings says it has now finalised a load and haul services contract with Talison Lithium Australia Pty Ltd for the Greenbushes lithium project in Western Australia.

This follows Macmahon’s selection as the preferred load and haul contractor for the project, announced last year.

This contract involves open-pit mining activities of load and haul, and crusher feed, which will commence on July 1, 2023, for a seven-year period with an option to extend for up to two years. The contract is estimated to generate revenue in excess of A$1.1 billion ($768 million) over its initial seven-year term.

Macmahon CEO and Managing Director, Michael Finnegan, said: “We are delighted to finalise this contract with Talison Lithium for its Greenbushes lithium project. This contract will add approximately A$1.1 billion to our order book, which delivers on our commodity diversification strategy into future-relevant commodities. We have built a strong relationship with the Talison Lithium team and look forward to developing this project with them.”

Talison Lithium is a Western Australia-based mining company which is 51%-owned by a joint venture comprising Tianqi Lithium Corporation and IGO Limited, and 49%-owned by Albemarle Corporation.

Together with its predecessor company, Talison Lithium has been producing lithium concentrates at Greenbushes since 1983, which are ultimately used in lithium batteries. The Greenbushes project, directly south and adjacent to the town of Greenbushes in Western Australia, is a major supplier of lithium mineral concentrates.

NRW’s Action Drill & Blast set for long-term contract at Greenbushes lithium mine

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NRW Holdings Limited’s wholly owned subsidiary, Action Drill & Blast Pty Ltd, has been issued a Notice of Award by Talison Lithium Australia Pty Ltd for drill and blast services at the Greenbushes lithium mine in Western Australia.

This award follows the longstanding relationship Action has had with Talison Lithium since Action commenced drill and blast activities on site in 2011, NRW said.

The seven-year (plus two-year option) contract is valued at circa A$300 million ($203 million) over the initial seven-year period and is scheduled to commence in July 2023.

The scope of works under the contract include ore, easte, pre-split and RC grade control drilling together with loading, stemming and initiation of bulk explosives.

Plant requirements for the project will be sourced from within the Action business together with new equipment capital expenditure of circa-A$30 million over the life of the contract.

The contract will require a peak workforce of some 160 personnel, including the 56 currently employed on site. The majority of the workforce will be sourced from the local community, building on current relationships and training programs, NRW said.

Macmahon Holdings to take on load and haul duties at Greenbushes lithium mine

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Macmahon Holdings says it has received a Notice of Award from Talison Lithium Australia for the load and haul mining works at its Greenbushes lithium project in the southwest of Western Australia.

Talison Lithium is a Western Australia-based mining company which is 51%-owned by a joint venture comprising Tianqi Lithium Corporation and IGO Limited, and 49%-owned by Albemarle Corporation.

Together with its predecessor company, Talison Lithium has been producing lithium concentrates at Greenbushes since 1983 which are ultimately used in lithium batteries. The Greenbushes project, directly south and adjacent to the town of Greenbushes in Western Australia, is a major supplier of lithium mineral concentrates.

The scope of works on the Greenbushes project includes open-pit mining activities of load and haul, and crusher feed.

Subject to final documentation of certain in-principle agreed terms and signing within 30 days, the contract will commence on July 1, 2023, for a seven-year period and has an option to extend for up to two years. The contract is estimated to generate revenue in excess of A$1.1 billion ($731 million) over its initial seven-year term.

Key mining equipment required for commencement will be from deployment of Macmahon’s existing available mining fleet with minimal impact to capital expenditure in the 2023 financial year, Macmahon says. The maximum remaining capital expenditure required to support this project is spread from the 2024 to 2028 financial years (inclusive) and totals approximately A$128 million. The five-year spread of this capital spend enables Macmahon to maintain a strong balance sheet and enhance return on average capital employed performance, and a number of opportunities exist to optimise this further.

Macmahon said: “The Greenbushes project is in an attractive location, has an existing long-term and loyal workforce with many based in the area. We are eager to engage with them and other people to discuss employment opportunities on the project to build a world-class team. Engaging with the on-site team is a priority for us upon award given the high level of performance we have noted on the project.”

Macmahon CEO and Managing Director, Michael Finnegan, said: “We are delighted to have received the Notice of Award from Talison Lithium for load and haul mining services at its Greenbushes lithium project and look forward to finalising the contract. We very much value the relationship we have forged with Talison Lithium and will continue to build on it. The award of this contract delivers on our commodity diversification strategy into future relevant commodities.”

Monadelphous receives work with Rio Tinto and Talison Lithium

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Monadelphous Group says it has secured new contracts in the resources sector totalling approximately A$100 million ($70 million), which includes work on the Oyu Tolgoi underground project, the Greenbushes lithium mine and the Marandoo iron ore mine.

At Oyu Tolgoi in Mongolia, Monadelphous is to construct surface infrastructure for the underground project. The work includes construction of two conveyors and an electrical substation, and associated integration to existing facilities.

Monadelphous has been operating in Mongolia since 2017 and will continue its focus on upskilling its Mongolian national employees as a key element of the contract execution strategy, Monadelphous said.

In addition, the company has been awarded a contract with Talison Lithium Australia for the construction of a range of facilities associated with the mine services area at its Greenbushes mine site in the southwest of Western Australia. The work, which includes structural, mechanical, piping and electrical and instrumentation services, is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023.

Monadelphous’ fabrication business, SinoStruct, has secured a contract to fabricate over 2,000 t of structural steel for a construction project in Ashburton in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Work is expected to be completed in early 2023.

Also in the Pilbara region, Monadelphous has been awarded a contract with Rio Tinto for the upgrade of conveyor facilities at the Marandoo iron ore mine. Site works are scheduled to commence in early 2023 and are expected to be completed in the March quarter of 2024.

Tianqi and IGO herald battery-grade lithium milestone at Kwinana refinery

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Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia Pty Ltd (TLEA) has announced first production of battery-grade lithium from its plant in Kwinana, Western Australia, marking the first time battery-grade lithium, or lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM), has been produced in Australia in commercial quantities.

This is a significant milestone for TLEA and Australian mining as the sector expands to meet rapidly growing demand for rechargeable batteries, primarily from the electric vehicle and energy storage system industries, TLEA, a joint venture between IGO (49%) and Tianqi Lithium (51%), says.

TLEA’s Kwinana plant has successfully met internal certification processes with the on-site laboratory confirming that battery-grade specification has been met on 10 t of lithium hydroxide, produced consistently over several days. Samples have been sent for independent verification, TLEA says.

The next step in the plant’s ramp-up process is customer qualification, which will be completed over the next four to eight months. During this time, the plant will continue to focus on stable, consistent and reliable production of battery-grade lithium.

“We are immensely proud to demonstrate that Australia can value add to its minerals onshore as it enhances its reputation as a critical contributor to the production of batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage, which are absolutely vital for the decarbonisation of the world’s economy,” TLK Chief Operating Officer, Raj Surendran, said.

“This is an exciting time for our shareholders, suppliers and service providers who have contributed to the construction and ramp-up of the Kwinana Plant, and our employees who have worked so hard to turn the dream of producing battery-grade lithium hydroxide in Australia into a reality.

“Today’s milestone proves Australia has the capability and expertise to transition from a ‘dig it and ship it’ minerals supplier to a downstream supplier of value-added product.

“However, we also remain acutely aware that there is more work to do to establish the Kwinana plant as a reliable, significant producer of battery-grade lithium, starting with customer acceptance.”

TLEA owns the first lithium hydroxide plant in Australia and the largest in the world to be built and operated outside of China. Lithium hydroxide produced at the plant will be containerised and exported from the Port of Fremantle to customers around the globe.

Surendran said the first train at TLEA’s Kwinana Plant will now continue its ramp-up towards its nameplate capacity of 24,000 t/y of battery grade lithium hydroxide.

Lithium hydroxide is a lithium-based compound derived from spodumene, a lithium-bearing pegmatite mineral. Spodumene is sourced directly from the Greenbushes mine 250 km southwest of Kwinana (Albemarle 50%, Tianqi Corporation 25%, IGO Ltd 25%).

Lycopodium builds on Talison Lithium relationship with CGP3 EPCM contract

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Lycopodium says it has been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services contract for Talison Lithium Australia’s Chemical Grade Processing Plant #3 (CGP3), to be developed at its Greenbushes site in Western Australia’s southwest.

Talison Lithium and its predecessor companies have been producing lithium minerals from the Greenbushes lithium operations since 1983, with the area recognised as the longest continuously operated mining area in Western Australia (circa-1888).

The mining and processing operations at Greenbushes have been upgraded and expanded over the decades to increase production and incorporate new technologies as demand for lithium minerals has grown.

The development of this third chemical grade lithium processing plant at Greenbushes will enable Talison to continue to supply the downstream lithium processing facilities of its shareholders currently being established in Western Australia and its facilities in China, Lycopodium says.

Lycopodium’s EPCM services on CGP3 incorporate engineering and design, including earthworks, civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation, as well as providing overall project management, including procurement and contracts management, expediting logistics and materials management, and construction and commissioning management services through handover of operational facilities to Talison Lithium.

Lycopodium is very familiar with the Greenbushes site and has an established relationship with Talison Lithium in the development of its Greenbushes operations including the previously awarded EPCM services for the new Mine Services Area project where Lycopodium is currently in the detailed engineering design, critical equipment procurement and pre-mobilisation phase for the project.

Lycopodium’s incorporated joint venture with Monadelphous (Mondium) is also currently delivering the Tailings Retreatment project at the mine.

Lycopodium Limited’s Managing Director, Peter De Leo, said: “We have been working in partnership with Talison for a number of years now, and having supported them through the development phases to optimise the CGP3 project, it is very pleasing to see it is now progressing to implementation.”

Talison Lithium is owned by two companies under a joint venture arrangement Tianqi Lithium Corp/IGO Limited JV (51%) and Albemarle Corporation (49%).

SIMPEC books more business on Talison lithium mine expansion project

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SIMPEC has been rewarded for its work on the Talison lithium mine in Greenbushes, Western Australia, with a contract extension from head design and construction contractor MSP Engineering.

The contract scope extensions and purchase orders, which total some A$1.8 million ($1.3 million), will see SIMPEC supply and install site-wide concrete footings (including earth works), the final tails pump and piping system, and chute fabrication works for the Chemical Grade Plant 2 (CGP2) project.

SIMPEC was previously awarded a A$2.7 million contract by MSP Engineering to design, supply and construct process water tanks at the CGP2 project, which will more than the double capacity of the Talison lithium mine to 1.34 Mt/y of concentrate. The project, owned by Talison through a 50:50 joint venture between Albemarle and Tianqi Lithium, is due for commissioning in the June quarter of 2019.

Mark Dimasi, SIMPEC Managing Director, said: “We are pleased to have gained extra work on this high-profile project that is helping underpin expansion of the lithium processing industry in Western Australia.”

With the expanded scopes of each of SIMPEC’s current projects with MSP Engineering, the WestStar Industrial subsidiary has added A$7.8 million of work to its order book. This includes work on BHP’s South Flank iron ore project.