[ferro-alloys.com] Construction on what is to be Australia's biggest lithium processing plant, the Albemarle lithium hydroxide processing plant in Kemerton, Western Australia, has begun, the state government announced Thursday.

With a A$1 billion ($700 million) investment, the Albemarle Kemerton Plant is expected to be the country's largest lithium hydroxide plant, with an approval to produce up to 100,000 mt/year of premium battery grade lithium hydroxide, the Western Australia government said.

The start of construction follows discussions between Western Australia's premier Mark McGowan and directors of Albemarle in Washington DC, US, in early 2018, it said.

"With up to 1,000 jobs being created, this project will be a huge economic boost for the South-West region and will show the capability Western Australia has in the lithium-ion battery sector," McGowan said.

Albemarle is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. It is a specialty chemicals company with positions in lithium, bromine and refining catalysts. In 2014, it acquired a 49% interest in Talison Lithium, the company says. Talison produces lithium concentrate at its lithium mineral project in Western Australia in the town of Greenbushes.

Lithium has been produced from the Greenbushes operations for over 25 years and Talison currently exports over 350,000 mt of lithium products annually to a global customer base, according to information on the company's website.

(S&P Global Platts)

• [Editor:王可]