Dual listed lithium miner Piedmont Lithium has selected a site in Tennessee for the development of a new lithium hydroxide project, targeted to be the largest of its kind in the US.
The 30 000 t/y lithium hydroxide operation is expected to start production in 2025, and will convert spodumene concentrate sourced from Piedmont’s global project into lithium hydroxide to supply the US electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing industry.
Piedmont said on Friday that the Tennessee lithium hydroxide plant would complement the company’s planned Carolina lithium operation, and would bring its US-based production capacity to 60 000 t/y by 2026.
This would be a significant increase on the total lithium hydroxide capacity of 15 000 t/y currently within the US.
“The rapid electrification of the automotive market has led to massive investment in electric vehicle and lithium-ion battery production in the US, creating a critical need for lithium hydroxide produced in the US,” said Piedmont president and CEO Keith Phillips.
“Our Tennessee lithium operations should play an important role in helping to mitigate supply shortages in the American EV industry and battery supply chain, particularly in the wake of recent legislation incentivizing the use of domestically sourced critical materials and providing tax credits for US producers.”
Phillips said that the Tennessee site was selected based on the cooperative government relations, access to infrastructure, including rail, road and river transportation, a capable workforce, and a constructive business environment, as well as its proximity to the battery and automotive plants being constructed by prospective customers.
Front-end engineering design for the Tennessee lithium project is expected to conclude in the first half of 2023, and would include a definitive feasibility study, targeted for completion by the end of 2022.