Name of the Project
Vidalia active anode material (AAM) project.

Location
Vidalia, Louisiana, US.

Project Owner/s
Syrah Resources.

Project Description
The project will add 16 722 m² of building and processing space to its existing 4 645 m² facility, enough to install equipment and systems for processing natural graphite into AAM used in lithium-ion batteries for the electric vehicle industry.

The initial expansion will allow for the expansion of the Vidalia AAM facility to 11 250 t/y of AAM.

Potential Job Creation
Louisiana Economic Development estimates that the project will result in 52 indirect jobs for a total of 88 new jobs in Louisiana’s central region.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
$176-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Production of the 11 250 t/y AAM Vidalia facility is targeted to start in the September 2023 quarter, with an 18-month ramp-up period to the full production rate.

Latest Developments
Syrah Resources has signed two multiyear binding offtake agreements with US-based AAM processing facilities.

The company has signed an agreement with NYSE-listed Graphex Group, which intends to expand its anode production capacity from 10 000 t/y to 55 000 t/y from facilities in China and North America over the next three years.

Graphex is building an AAM processing facility in Michigan, with an initial production capacity of 15 000 t/y, which is planned to be operational by 2024.

An offtake agreement has also been reached with NYSE-listed Westwater Resources, which is building an AAM processing facility in Alabama, which is also targeted for a 2024 start. This processing facility could potentially be expanded to a capacity of over 40 000 t/y later this decade, Syrah has said.

The offtake agreements support Syrah’s graphite sales diversification strategy, which is aimed at supplying about 100 000 t/y of Balama fines to third-party AAM customers ex-China from 2026.

The company is negotiating other commercial arrangements for further ex-China supply with potential anode processing, battery manufacturing and auto original equipment manufacturing customers.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Syrah Resources, tel +61 3 9670 7264 or email enquiries@syrahresources.com.au.