Critical mineral nickel slump spurs government action

A slump in prices for the critical mineral nickel – used in battery manufacture – has brought action from the federal and Western Australian governments. In the past few days federal Resources Minister Madeleine King placed nickel on the Critical Minerals List, giving nickel companies opportunity to access billions of dollars in Commonwealth funding. And…

First battery graphite produced in WA

International Graphite has successful commissioned its new qualification-scale graphite micronising plant (pictured) at Collie, south of Perth which will produce graphite used in battery anodes. The 200tpa microniser is the largest in Australia and a milestone in the development of a domestic graphite industry, according to the company. International Graphite told investors: “It will be…

Altech makes progress with silicon battery prototypes

Silicon battery developer Altech Batteries has reported ‘excellent progress’ in the manufacture of prototype CERENERGY battery developed in joint venture with Germany’s Fraunhofer IKTS institute. Fraunhofer has developed a pilot plant in Hermsdorf, Germany which has been building two 60 kWh silicon battery pack prototypes designed for the grid storage market since 2023. The battery…

Australian Vanadium merges with TMT Australia

Battery developer Australian Vanadium Limited (AVL) and Technology Metals Australia have completed their merger, creating a stronger business developing a mine to battery value chain for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The merger also brings together the companies’ adjoining mining leases at Gabanintha, south of Meekatharra in Western Australia, where AVL plans mining which will…

AVL’s vanadium electrolyte facility complete

Australian Vanadium Ltd‘s (AVL’s) vanadium electrolyte manufacturing facility has been completed in Perth’s northern suburbs (pictured), furthering the development of Australian battery supply chains. Used in vanadium redox flow batteries considered suited to stationary facilities, the plant can produce up to 33MWh of high purity electrolyte per annum. AVL will now qualify its production with…

Victoria’s SEC bets big on massive battery storage

Victoria’s newly established, state-owned State Electricity Commission (SEC) has announced a massive first investment which will help infrastructure company Equis build a $1 billion battery, one of the world’s biggest in the state. Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for the State Electricity Commission Lily D’Ambrosio turned the first sod on the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub…