Visit of Premier Li Qiang to Tianqi Lithium’s Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Plant.
On June 18, 2024, during an official visit to Australia at the invitation of the Australian government, Li Qiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China, led a Chinese delegation to visit Tianqi Lithium’s Kwinana Plant in Perth . He was accompanied by Madeleine King,Australian Resources Minister , and Roger Cook , Premier of Western Australia.
Jiang Weiping , founder and honorary president of Tianqi Lithium, together with the company’s management team and employees, warmly welcomed Premier Li Qiang and the delegation. Jiang provided a summary of the development history of Tianqi and the Kwinana Plant, highlighting that Tianqi Lithium’s Kwinana Plant is not only Australia ‘s first lithium hydroxide plant , but also the world’s first fully automated facility for the production of battery grade lithium hydroxide. Raj Surendran, Chairman of Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia (TLEA), gave a detailed presentation on the plant. I have mentioned that the first phase, with a capacity of 24,000 tons, is now operational and its products have been certified by customers, mainly targeting the European, Japanese and South Korean markets. He also pointed out that Tianqi Lithium has introduced advanced lithium mining technology in Australia, marking the first step in the development of the intermediate and downstream stages ofAustralia ‘s lithium battery industry . Additionally, through its investments, Tianqi Lithium has created more than 1,300 jobs in Australia .
Roger Cook, The Premier of Western Australia, also commented:
As the world transitions to a clean energy future, we are seizing new opportunities for cooperation with China.
“A notable example is Tianqi Lithium’s Kwinana Plant, which is creating employment opportunities for the region ” James Clarke , TLEA board member and president of the Western Australia branch of the Australia China Business Council (ACBC), presented how Tianqi, through patient capital management and long-term ESG integration, has earned high recognition from local government and business communities. Clarke highlighted that even when other mining companies were laying off employees to cut costs during industry downturns, Tianqi did not lay off any workers, demonstrating the company’s commitment and responsibility to the local community. This has earned Tianqi the reputation of being a “benchmark” in the mining industry.
Finally, Jiang Weiping , founder and honorary president of Tianqi Lithium, once again expressed his sincere gratitude to the leaders of China and Australia for their visit. He emphasized that the advantages of the lithium battery industries in China and Australia complement each other well, and believed that a stable and cooperative relationship would lead to mutual benefits and win-win results for both sides.
Tianqi Lithium’s Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Plant is located in Kwinana, a port city 38 kilometers south of Perth , capital of Western Australia. The plant has long been considered a model of economic complementarity and cooperation between China and Australia . It is Australia ‘s first fully automated battery grade lithium hydroxide plant , with a designed capacity of 48,000 tonnes per year divided into two phases. The first phase, with an annual production capacity of 24,000 tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide, began commercial production on November 30, 2022 and is currently ramping up production capacity. The second phase, also with an annual production capacity of 24,000 tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide, is currently in the construction design phase, and front-end engineering is expected to be completed in the second half. 2024. As Tianqi’s first lithium chemical plant investment in Australia , the Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Plant marks a new chapter in the transformation of Australia ‘s lithium battery industry, moving from upstream to midstream. and downstream.
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Visit of Premier Li Qiang to Tianqi Lithium’s Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Plant. source
