processing · Australia

Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Plant

An Australian attempt to move lithium conversion onshore from spodumene concentrate.

OperatingRamp-upProject score 66

Operator

Independent

Country

Australia

Mine life

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Capex

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Profile

Resource, economics and jurisdiction

Resource: Converts Greenbushes spodumene into battery-grade lithium hydroxide.
Production: Nameplate capacity of 24 kt of lithium hydroxide annually.
Economics: Conversion economics remain challenging versus Chinese capacity.
Infrastructure: Industrial precinct with port access and reliable power.
Jurisdiction: Very low risk
Ownership: Tianqi and IGO joint venture
Region: Western Australia

Overview

An Australian attempt to move lithium conversion onshore from spodumene concentrate.

Methodology

Version v0.1

Resource Quality: 72 (weight 1.2) — Grade, continuity and metallurgical complexity of the resource.
Project Scale: 64 (weight 1) — Annual output potential relative to the global market for its primary mineral.
Development Stage: 72 (weight 0.9) — How far the asset has advanced toward or through production.
Jurisdiction: 67 (weight 1.1) — Political stability, permitting predictability and rule of law.
Infrastructure: 63 (weight 0.9) — Access to power, water, transport and processing capacity.
Economics: 72 (weight 1.2) — Cost position and margin resilience through the price cycle.
Strategic Importance: 66 (weight 1) — Relevance to national critical mineral strategies and allied supply chains.
Supply-Chain Value: 67 (weight 1) — Whether the asset relieves a genuine downstream bottleneck.
Sustainability: 57 (weight 0.9) — Carbon intensity, water use, tailings approach and community standing.
Execution Risk: 67 (weight 1) — Technical, financing and schedule risk to reaching nameplate output. Higher is lower risk.