Mineral Resources to Resume Lithium Production at a Large-Scale Deposit in Australia
The Australian mining company Mineral Resources is resuming operations at the Bald Hill lithium deposit in Western Australia after an 18-month hiatus. The decision was made amid improving market conditions and growing demand for battery materials.
This was reported by the mining.com portal.
Production is scheduled to resume in June, with the first production of spodumene concentrate expected in July. In November 2024, the deposit was placed into maintenance and conservation mode to preserve capital and the long-term value of the asset.
The Bald Hill deposit is located approximately 50 km southeast of Kambalda in the Goldfields region. Its resources are estimated at more than 58 million tons of ore with a 0.9% lithium oxide content, and its production capacity is about 165,000 tons of spodumene concentrate.
The company notes that the restart was made possible by the recovery of lithium prices, which have risen by more than 50% since the beginning of the year. The market attributes this to supply disruptions from key producers, particularly restrictions in China and Zimbabwe’s export decisions.
Mineral Resources is also continuing to develop other lithium assets in Australia, specifically the Wodgina and Mt Marion deposits.
Meanwhile, in Europe and other regions, companies are stepping up the development of lithium projects due to growing demand for battery materials, driven by the expansion of the electric vehicle industry and energy technologies.
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