We could have the beginnings of a world class battery industry...

We could have the beginnings of a world class battery industry stirring in Kwinana.
Momentum is building around WA's 'Lithium Valley' with the Kwinana Industrial Area becoming the centre of attention for political support. Seems WA has all the raw materials needed, including the koalin for HPA-based battery separators. For those not across the battery industry cluster developing here, I've provided a few links below, starting with Local and State Government's backing of the idea. Looks promising for FYI to be amongst these budding industries.

Tesla meets with Premier to discuss options in 'Lithium Valley' Perth
"The US requires 35 raw materials to produce renewable energy storage batteries, and as WA can supply them all, eyes have turned to the state’s ability to value-add not just by mining but by processing, primarily in Kwinana, already an industrial area and the location of a future new port."

Kwinana dubbed heart of ‘Lithium Valley’, set to play significant role in WA economy
"There is enormous potential to increase downstream processing of lithium and other energy materials in WA, creating long-term job opportunities for West Australians. State Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnson welcomed the release of The Lithium Valley report and announced a new task-force to help make WA a world leader in lithium and energy materials."

Regional Development Australia outlines the case for supporting a WA battery industry and includes a link to their recent report: Lithium Valley: Establishing the Case for Energy Metals and Battery Manufacturing in Western Australia The report is well worth a read if you want a high level view of the strategy and thinking behind a Kwinana battery hub. One of the proposals concerns setting up a Special Industrial Zone with economic incentives in addition to FIRB domestic value-add requirements for strategic resources. Those resources would include high purity alumina, cobalt, lithium, graphite, manganese and vanadium.

Here's a few details of the lithium battery related industries already operating or under construction at KIA:

Lithium Hydroxide Plants
Lithium expansion: Tianqi’s mine set to double in size as processing plant is built in Kwinana
"A lithium mine in WA’s south is set to double in size by next year, creating hundreds of new jobs in the process. Tianqi’s lithium mine in Greenbushes, about 90km south of Bunbury, is already the biggest lithium mine on the planet and supplies a third of the globe."
Lithium jobs boom as Kidman picks Kwinana for refinery
"The benefits of the Kwinana site vastly outweigh those of the other sites we considered," said Kidman MD.

Nickel/Cobalt Sulphate Plants
Kwinana Nickel Refinery: BHP to produce nickel sulphate next year, eyeing cobalt on battery boom
"BHP Billiton is expanding its business as a supplier of battery minerals at its nickel refinery in Western Australia, planning to start producing nickel sulphate next year and looking at cobalt output as well, a company executive said."
Alpha Fine Chemicals dumps Esperance nickel refinery plan in favour of WA’s ‘Lithium Valley’
"Alpha Fine Chemicals announced earlier this month it wanted to base the plant, which it claims will create between 50 and 60 full-time jobs and produce 20,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate for battery makers annually over the next 20 years, in Perth’s “lithium valley”.Mr Taylor said the plant could be more viable economically in Kwinana, with a feasibility study expected to wrap up in two months."

Those recent press reports suggest that Kwinana Industrial Area is shaping up to be an ideal location for FYI's HPA processing plant: Govt. support, a skilled workforce, port access, chemical companies including HCl manufacturers already on the site, and industrial gas supply for calcination to name but a few. It will be interesting to see the PFS capex/opex for establishing the HPA plant in such a supportive area.