By Professor Akbar Rhamdhani You might not know it, but critical minerals are the hidden engine powering our daily lives. They drive the functionality of our electronics, medical devices and renewable energy systems. Without them, our world would grind to a standstill and the technology we rely on every day, such as smartphones and laptops,…
Melbourne-based ElectraLith Pty Ltd has announced that its next-generation DLE-RTM technology has successfully produced battery grade lithium hydroxide from very concentrated brines known as Salar brines, geothermal oilfield brines and spodumene (lithium ore) leach. The technology, Backed by Rio Tinto, IP Group and Monash University, included production of 99.9 percent pure lithium hydroxide from a…
Liontown Resources produces first lithium Battery Materials producer Liontown Resources has produced its first lithium spodumene concentrate at Kathleen Valley in Western Australia, following the commissioning of the wet plant and end-to-end operation of the value chain. The milestone marks the start of production ramp-up to nameplate throughput of 3Mtpa, currently expected by the end…
The federal government’s Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive is taking on increasing importance with US lithium producer Albemarle scaling back its lithium production plans Kemerton plant near at Bunbury in Western Australia which has been hit by fluctuating commodity prices. Albemarle has announced it will halt construction of the third production train at the facility…
The federal government has awarded $65 million in grants to seven organisations through the Carbon Capture Technologies Program (CCTP), including building materials startup MCi Carbon, solvent technology business KC8 Capture Technologies and battery material company Novalith. According to a statement from the department of climate change on Tuesday, the funded projects “will cut emissions…
Lithium ion battery materials group Lithium Australia and Mineral Resources (MinRes) will form a joint venture to commercialise the LieNA process to recover lithium from hard rock spodumene ores. The news comes after Lithium Australia completed the final stage of LieNA piloting activities at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) which commenced in…
Environmental Clean Technologies in lignite-based soil improvement hook up Industrial technology group Environmental Clean Technologies has signed a Heads of Agreement (HoA) with ESG Agriculture for the development and offtake of soil health products. This HoA is a precursor to a Joint Venture (JV) between the companies in developing a lignite-based nitrogen soil health product,…
Low emissions technology developer Calix has announced that the Mid-Stream Demonstration Plant Project which aims to demonstrate sustainable lithium processing utilising renewable power has begun construction. The project, a joint venture with Pilbara Minerals at their Pilgangoora Project, moved into the construction phase in the June Quarter 2024, according to a statement. The project aims…
AML3D 3D printer gets to work in US submarine programme AML3D’s industrial-scale ARCEMY ‘X-Edition 6700’ Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) metal 3D printing system has been commissioned and is in operation at the US Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence (AM CoE) in Danville, Virginia. The $1.1 million order for the machine was placed through…
The federal government is has announced major backing for the Kathleen Valley Lithium Project in Western Australia which will produce lithium concentrate from later this year. It is expected to create around 900 jobs during construction and around 450 ongoing operational jobs. With $110 million from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and $120 million…
