Honeywell to boost production and efficiency at Eneabba

(Image source: Iluka Resources) Honeywell’s Integrated Controls and Safety Systems will be adopted by Iluka Resources’ Eneabba rare earths refinery, which will produce resources vital for an electrified economy.

Honeywell has announced its integrated controls and safety system (ICSS) will be designed and implemented at Iluka Resources’ (ASX: ILU) Eneabba refinery to create a safer environment for workers and boost efficiency.

Located in WA, the $1.8b refinery will be Australia’s first fully integrated rare earth refinery and will produce rare earth oxides essential to defence systems, electric and hybrid vehicles, robotics, sustainable energy technologies and consumer, industrial and agriculture applications.

The site will benefit from the use of Honeywell’s integrated controls and safety systems that will allow for plant-wide control of the facility using an integrated automation system, transforming how plant automation projects are executed.

Honeywell will also be providing safety systems that will minimize incident risk, maximise production uptime and include enhanced cybersecurity features to protect operations for Iluka.

Iluka project director Craig Renner said that the refinery is a significant project that underscores the importance of the expansion and diversification of the critical minerals sector, especially in Australia.

“As a partner in this endeavor, Honeywell brings decades of automation domain expertise to increase productivity at the refinery while keeping our most important assets, our workers, safe,” he said.

(Image source: Iluka Resources) A render of the Eneabba refinery.

Iluka’s refinery is anticipated to produce upward of 6,250t of critical minerals annually, a globally significant volume that is essential for the electrification and enhancement of Australia’s domestic supply chain.

Honeywell Process Solutions president Pramesh Maheshwari said that this partnership with Iluka demonstrates that automation is a key driver of the global energy transition supply chain.

“With Honeywell’s extensive expertise in automation, Iluka will be equipped with the necessary tools to enhance the safety and efficiency of its operations, which are vital for supporting a more sustainable future,” he said.

Construction has begun and the refinery is expected to commence production in 2026, representing a major step forward for Australia in the critical mineral supply chain both domestically and internationally.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR