Client: TALISON LITHIUM AUSTRALIA
Project value: $60m
Location: Greenbushes, Western Australia

MSP role: Head contractor EPC contract for the engineering design and construction of a beneficiation plant producing chemical grade lithium oxide concentrate from spodumene-rich pegmatite ores.

Contract type: EPC, incentivised to a Target Cost Estimate (TCE), with agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the target cost, and for safety, environmental and IR targets.

Project timing: Construction start 2011, Commissioning start 2012

MSP was commissioned to expand the original lithium oxide-in-concentrate processing plant it built at Greenbushes in 2010, to lift capacity from 200,000 tonnes per annum to 640,000tpa, making it the largest lithium oxide production plant in the world at the time.

The CGP1 facility is designed to beneficiate spodumene in pegmatite ore sourced from the Greenbushes mining operation, and is based around wet processing plant.

The expansion project involved the installation of a new feed system, a two-stage grinding circuit, a five-stage classification circuit, five stage flotation circuit, product dewatering, concentrate stockpiling and all aspects of tails and water management.

The expansion was completed on schedule and budget, and the facility achieved full production ramp up and nameplate performance within three weeks of commissioning.