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Looks like they are talking to Pilbara.

As the likes of Mineral Resources, Albemarle and IGO explore their local lithium hydroxide possibilities, Pilbara Minerals says lithium phosphate may be more viable.


Through the ambition of some of the world’s biggest mining companies, Australia is realising its downstream capability, with several onshore lithium hydroxide plants emerging.

You can understand why. Lithium hydroxide and carbonate derived from the Wodgina lithium operation* was sold at $US51,209 per tonne in the December quarter. This is almost 10 times what a 9000-tonne Wodgina cargo of spodumene concentrate was sold for ($US5131 per tonne) during the same quarter.

To put it simply, lithium hydroxide is an upgraded spodumene product with less inputs required before it can be incorporated into a lithium-ion battery.

Pilbara Minerals is exploring the viability of a ‘midstream’ product as part of a joint venture (JV) agreement with Calix, where lithium phosphate salts would be produced via an innovative refining process utilising Calix’s patented calcination technology.

A final investment decision is expected to be made on a demonstration plant in the June quarter of 2023.

https://www.australianresourcesandinvestment.com.au/2023/02/13/why-pilbara-minerals-is-choosing-lithium-phosphate-over-hydroxide/