Mining large Albemarle plans to construct a lithium processing plant within the US that might produce as a lot of the sunshine white metallic as the whole firm produces right this moment. Albemarle says the plan displays its technique “to guide the US lithium renaissance, from mine improvement to processing to manufacturing forms of the metallic used to make EV batteries.”
Eric Norris, head of Albemarle’s lithium division, mentioned the corporate has seen a significant shift within the final 9 months within the US, as an “unprecedented” variety of EV manufacturing vegetation have been introduced. The corporate believes this can gasoline a surge in lithium demand, and goals to construct a processing plant with 100,000 tons of annual capability someplace within the US Southeast with rail entry to a significant port.
“There isn’t sufficient [lithium] provide but to provide the ambitions of the US,” Norris advised the Fastmarkets Lithium Provide and Battery Uncooked Supplies convention in Phoenix. “This [processing plant] will likely be important for our success sooner or later.”
Albemarle is in lively discussions with automakers on shopping for provide from the ability, Norris mentioned. The corporate already provides Tesla and several other different main automakers.
The US plant could be of the same design to a processing plant Albemarle just lately opened in Kemerton, Western Australia. It will be equipped from lithium extracted from the corporate’s Kings Mountain mine in North Carolina, which is at present mothballed however could reopen as quickly as 2027.
Albemarle goals to spice up its total lithium manufacturing capability fivefold to 500,000 tons per yr by 2030.
Supply: Reuters
