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First spodumene concentrate shipment
![First Spodumene Concentrate Shipment Port with ship](/images/default-source/fy24-sustainability/wescef-covalent.tmb-large-750.jpg?Culture=en-AU&sfvrsn=9af9e5bb_1)
Covalent Lithium (Covalent), WesCEF’s
joint venture with Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM), marked a major
milestone this financial year, with commissioning of the concentrator and first
production of spodumene concentrate (concentrate) commencing at the Mt Holland
site.
The Covalent project is a unique
partnership, establishing a fully integrated mine, concentrator and refinery,
in Western Australia. Covalent will produce lithium product with strong
environmental, social, and governance credentials, consistent with customer
expectations.
With the Mt Holland mine and
concentrator officially opened in March 2024, Covalent is now focused on
finalising construction and commissioning of the Kwinana refinery.
The refinery will provide Covalent
the ability to process concentrate locally in Western Australia, producing
battery-grade lithium hydroxide for the global electric vehicle market.
The refinery is expected to produce
up to 50,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually - enough to support the
manufacture of more than one million electric vehicles each year.
WesCEF is well positioned to supply
international markets and assist in the global transition to a clean energy
future through its investment in Covalent.
WesCEF and SQM each market and sell
their share of Covalent production, with WesCEF exporting its first shipment of
concentrate in March 2024. This concentrate will be processed overseas. When
the refinery is commissioned, WesCEF and SQM will each market lithium hydroxide
independently.