PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Graphite miner Syrah Resources has awarded fellow-listed Worley Group a contract to provide detailed engineering and procurement services for the initial expansion of the Active Anode Material (AAM) facility, in Vidalia, in the US.
“We are delighted to execute this services contract and to continue our successful technical partnership with Worley through to the next important project phases at Vidalia,” said Syrah MD and CEO Shaun Verner.
“The finalization of this contract, and the substantial engineering work completed to date with Worley, has de-risked the project and is a key step in advancing towards construction of the 10 000 t/y AAM facility at Vidalia.”
Syrah said on Tuesday that the company continued to progress the execution and contracting strategy for the AAM facility, with the key objective of maintaining fixed price competitive bidding for the installed cost, optimising construction management and costs, minimising delay to the project schedule, and the fair allocation of risk to construction contractors.
The company is planning to award contracts for construction management prior to making a final investment decision for the expanded facility in the second half of this year, subject to end customer commitments and strategic or financing partnerships.
Syrah in the December quarter completed a bankable feasibility study into the expansion of its AAM production facility, which confirmed that that 10 000 t/y of AAM could be produced through the expansion of existing plant and infrastructure at Syrah’s 25-acre industrial site.
The facility currently has a production capacity of 5 000 t/y of unpurified spherical graphite and 200 t/y of purified spherical graphite to battery specification.