Pilbara Minerals commissions world’s largest lithium ore sorter

Pilbara Minerals (ASX: PLS) has officially opened the new crushing and ore sorting facility at its Pilgangoora operation in WA.

This crushing and ore sorting facility is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere and the largest in the world for lithium processing. It can sort more than 1000t of ore per hour.

The milestone was marked by an official ceremony and ribbon cutting on site, with attendees including WA Energy Minister Reece Whitby, Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility chief executive Craig Doyle and Nyami Elders Willie Jumbo and Biddi Norman.

The crushing and ore sorting facility, which crushes and separates lithium ore from waste, is the final component of the P680 project which increases Pilgangoora’s production capacity by around 30%.

P680 was delivered on time and on budget, and it marks a key component of Pilbara Minerals’ growth strategy to unlock the full potential of Pilgangoora.

Pilbara Minerals managing director and chief executive Dale Henderson says the completion of P680 is an important milestone for the company.

“The P680 project is the cornerstone of our strategic growth strategy to unlock the potential of the Pilgangoora asset,” he said.

“The benefits delivered by the P680 project are material, both through the increase in production capacity, but also by the commercial scale demonstration of industry leading sustainable technology that improves overall ore recovery in mining and reduces energy intensity through waste rejection.

“Financing support from the Federal Government for the development of critical minerals underpinned the P680 project and signals the government’s strong commitment to ensuring Australia capitalises on the economic opportunities presented by the global energy transition.”