Australian lithium producer, Pilbara Minerals has announced that its maiden shipment of spodumene concentrate from the Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum project in Western Australia has been successfully loaded and departed from Port Hedland for North Asia.

Spodumene concentrate being loaded onto MV Pola Devora

Pilbara Minerals’ charter vessel, the ‘M.V. Pola Devora’, left port with 8,800wmt (wet metric tonnes) of spodumene concentrate grading approximately 6.1 per cent lithia and 1.2 per cent Fe2O3.

Pilbara Minerals’ Managing Director and CEO, Ken Brinsden, said the departure of the first-ever concentrate shipment from Pilgangoora represented a huge moment in the company’s history.

“Delivering this project from first drill-hole to first product on ship within four years is an outstanding result, which completes Pilbara Minerals’ elevation into the ranks of Australia’s mid-tier mining companies”, said Mr Brinsden.

“This marks the start of regular product shipments as we continue to ramp-up Stage 1 to nameplate capacity and work towards a final investment decision on the Stage 2, 5Mtpa expansion.”
According to the company, with strong support from the offtake partners and financiers, this expansion will position Pilbara Minerals to become one of the top-three lithium raw materials producers in the world by 2020.

Source: www.pilbaraminerals.com.au