PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved the development of a new lithium refinery in Kwinana.

The EPA approval is subject to strict conditions relating to greenhouse gas emissions and waste management.

Covalent Lithium, which is a joint venture between ASX-listed Wesfarmers and Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM), will process spodumene ore concentrate to produce battery grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate, which is primarily used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, at a site within the Kwinana Industrial Area.

The refinery operations are expected to have an 85% recovery of the lithium contained in the spodumene concentrate sourced from Covalent’s Mount Holland mining and concentrator operations, which is expected to produce more than 340 000 t/y of concentrate over a mine life of 40 years.

From here, Covalent would have the capacity to produce approximately 45 000 t/y of battery quality lithium hydroxide.

EPA chairperson Professor Matthew Tonts said Covalent had identified several measures which would mitigate greenhouse gas emissions over the life of the project including the use of efficient design and equipment technologies and the purchase of carbon offsets.

“The EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Guideline, released in 2020, requires a proposal exceeding 100 000 t of Scope 1 emissions each year to demonstrate its contribution towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050, in line with both the Paris Agreement and the IPCC’s 1.5 report,” Tonts said.

“This proposal commits to delivering emissions reductions on a linear trajectory toward net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Further, the EPA noted that the batteries developed from the proposal may contribute to the more widespread use of renewable energy sources and electric vehicles, which is expected to reduce emissions compared to use of conventional energy sources and vehicles.”

Tonts said the commitment to deliver emissions reductions and to revise the greenhouse gas management plan at least every five years to align with five-yearly public reporting measures had satisfied the EPA that this proposal met its greenhouse gas guidance.

“Further, the proposal is situated within an existing industrial zone, which reduces the clearing of native vegetation and terrestrial fauna habitat,” he said.