IGO Limited announced it had secured land in Kwinana from the Western Australian Government for the proposed Integrated Battery Material Facility (IBM Facility).
According to IGO, this marks a significant step towards realising its aim of vertical integration within the battery supply chain.
IGO is collaborating with Wyloo Metals to make a financial investment decision on the development of the IBM Facility, which will combine a downstream nickel refinery with a plant producing high-value nickel dominant precursor cathode active material (PCAM) for the battery supply chain.
The proposed Project will integrate IGO’s game-changing nickel refining technology with PCAM production knowledge in a low-cost, low-carbon process. The project would be the first commercial production of PCAM in Australia, and it would be consistent with the State Government’s goal of expanding Western Australia’s future battery industry.
The proposed IBM Facility will be built on about 30 hectares of unoccupied industrial land leased from the State Government in the Kwinana-Rockingham Strategic Industrial Area. The proposed IBM Facility will be built on property adjacent to the Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Refinery, owned by Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia (TLEA), a joint venture between IGO and Tianqi Lithium Corporation.
Before a Final Investment Decision can be taken, several critical workstreams are necessary. These include engaging a partner with experience in PCAM production, delivering a Feasibility Study by the middle of 2024, obtaining environmental permits and clearances, involving a wide range of stakeholders, and achieving critical commercial goals.
IGO and Wyloo are now in talks with a global battery chemical manufacturer, which has expressed a great interest in collaborating on the Project. This is a crucial step towards connecting the parties’ technology with IGO’s essential minerals to capture value throughout the supply chain.
IGO Acting CEO Matt Dusci stated that Australia currently plays a vital role in the worldwide supply of critical minerals, but it has to increase its involvement in the battery supply chain to grab a larger share of the value.
“We are excited about securing this site at Kwinana – a pivotal step in our ambitions to be better integrated into the battery supply chain. We strongly believe that by bringing the right partners together, we will deliver a fully optimised nickel supply chain delivering low-cost, low-carbon, responsibly produced battery chemicals for the global battery and electric vehicle industry, to be delivered through an integrated battery material facility here in Western Australia,” Dusci said.
Dusci added, “The Kwinana-Rockingham Strategic Industrial Area is rapidly emerging as a globally significant battery material hub with existing lithium hydroxide production, established infrastructure and a skilled residential workforce. I would like to acknowledge the support of the Western Australian State Government as we work together with a combined ambition of continued growth of the local battery chemical industry.”
