Kemerton
A BRAND NEW LITHIUM PROCESSING INDUSTRY IN THE SOUTH WEST
Albemarle has invested around $2 billion to build the world leading Kemerton lithium hydroxide processing plant near Bunbury in the South West of Western Australia, making it the most modern plant of its type in the world and the largest in Australia.
The Kemerton plant creates a new refining industry in the South West.
Construction of processing trains 1 & 2 was completed in 2022 and the addition of trains 3 & 4, which are currently under construction, will double annual production to 100,000 metric tonnes of lithium hydroxide at full capacity. The trains are wholly owned and operated by Albemarle.
Kemerton is designed to:
- Process nearly 1 million tonnes of spodumene ore concentrate from the Talison Lithium mine at Greenbushes (in which Albemarle holds a 49% interest)
- Produce up to 100,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per annum with four trains operating
- Produce up to 200,000 tonnes of sodium sulphate by-product per annum.
Kemerton has created more than 1800 jobs in construction and over 400 in operations so far, and its expansion will create over 1000 additional construction jobs and will require nearly 400 additional operations workers, bringing huge economic benefits to local and broader economies via jobs, procurement, community spending and contribution.
To support its expansion workforce, Albemarle is building a $140m Paris Grove Worker Accommodation Precinct at Australind. (More information is available in the Community section of our website.)
