The US-based specialty chemicals company Albemarle Corporation has announced that Talison, a joint venture between Albemarle and Tianqi Lithium Corporation, has approved the expansion of lithium concentrate production at its Greenbushes, Australia spodumene mine. Greenbushes is the world's largest active lithium mine. It has the largest hard rock lithium reserve, and contains the highest concentration of lithium oxide available of any active mine.
“This project is integral to our announced lithium expansion plans so that we can meet the growing needs of our customers. The expansion of the mine and ore upgrading facilities is a key deliverable in our supply strategy to grow total combined lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) production to approximately 165,000 metric tonne per annum (MTPA) early in the next decade,” said John Mitchell, president, lithium and advanced materials for Albemarle.
The expansion is intended to more than double the LCE capacity at Greenbushes from 80,000 MTPA to more than 160,000 MTPA, of which Albemarle has a 50 percent interest in the offtake. Commissioning of the expansion is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2019.
