Pilbara Minerals (PLS) is yet to develop its Pilgangoora lithium mine in Western Australia but it is already contemplating a much bigger operation as part of its push to become a downstream producer of lithium-ion battery feedstocks.

Managing director Ken Brinsden outlined the downstream push in a presentation to the Diggers & Dealers conference, saying that while the building of a spodumene concentrate conversion plant was very much at the assessment level, it could become obvious early on that Pilgangoora would have to become bigger to accommodate Pilbara’s own conversion needs.

The study into building a conversion plant, most likely in Malaysia, is a joint venture with Chinese lithium group General Lithium Corp, which recently cemented a spodumene concentrate supply agreement by taking up a 3 per cent equity stake in Pilbara.

General Lithium is a producer of lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide, which are feedstocks in the making of cathodes in lithium-ion batteries…

Source: Pilbara Minerals’ ambitious lithium plans