from the Townsville Bulletin. Would post the link but its pay walled. Good to have government support and the city of townsville. We all know the issues clive had with the mayor. lol
Crew seem to have support in NC and townsville which will come in handy
Townsville’s future as a hub for themanufacture of batteries
TONYRAGGATT, Townsville Bulletin
October17, 2018 12:00am
Subscriberonly
TOWNSVILLEis set for a resources-led recovery and future as a manufacturing hub withseveral proponents planning metals processing facilities linked to supplyingthe battery market.
The proposals, includingplans announced yesterday by Queensland Pacific Metals to develop a new nickelrefinery, have been welcomed by State and local government leaders.
Minister for StateDevelopment, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said theGovernment was providing project facilitation for Queensland Pacific Metals.
“This is an exciting projectfor Townsville which will bolster the economy, create jobs for locals andfurther the city’s commercial renewal, including in the minerals andmanufacturing sectors,” Mr Dick said.
Mr Dick said the emergence ofbattery storage and base metals required for battery manufacture waspositioning Townsville and North West Queensland as an emerging powerhouse.
The region hosted world-classdeposits of nickel, cobalt, scandium and vanadium used in the battery sector,while the Government was also supporting the Imperium3 consortium proposing abattery manufacturing plant in Townsville.
“Townsville has been througha difficult time but the city is clearly making an economic comeback, driven bythe resources and manufacturing sectors, and the future looks bright,” Mr Dicksaid.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hillsaid the Queensland Pacific Metals proposal to build another nickel refinery inthe Townsville region was an exciting prospect.
“I welcome any project thatwill help create jobs for Townsville locals,” Cr Hill said.
“There are a lot ofadvantages to investing in our city and we already have a highly skilledworkforce in metals manufacturing.
“Council is very supportiveof bringing new major projects to Townsville to help create jobs and boost theeconomy.
“The City Deal and Council’sTownsville 2020 vision are helping boost business confidence and drive new investmentin our community which creates jobs.
“I think this project wouldlikely get a lot of support from the community if the company is serious aboutcreating 800 jobs locally.
“We will work with QueenslandPacific Metals to progress the project to help ensure we get those jobs forTownsville.”
Queensland Pacific Metals islooking to develop $300 million Stage 1 plant near Yabulu in 2020, producing25,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate and 3000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate bymid-2021.
A larger scale plant wouldproduce 130,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate and 25,000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate,employing up to 800 people.
A second nickel plant has beenproposed near existing refinery
TONY RAGGATT, Townsville Bulletin
October 16, 2018 12:00am
Subscriber only
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A NICKEL refinery supplying the booming batterymarket will be built in Townsville employing up to 800 people if the plans oflong-time industry identities are realised.
The proposal by Queensland Pacific Metals emergedyesterday as listed company Pure Minerals announced a buyout of QPM to furtherthe aims of the group.
QPM has agreements to buy nickel ore from NewCaledonia which it will use as the feedstock for a Townsville nickel sulphateand cobalt sulphate refinery.
It is proposed to be built on 350ha of land atBluewater, just 2km from Clive Palmer’s shuttered Queensland Nickel refinery atYabulu.
Construction would start in 2020 if a feasibilitystudy confirmed its viability.
QPM executive director John Downie — a mechanicalengineer who has held executive roles with Vale, Inco and Queensland Nickel —said Townsville was its preferred site.
The city had the existing port and railinfrastructure, a skilled labour base, support in engineering and long historyin handing ore from New Caledonia.
“There’s a lot of enthusiastic people who willsupport and encourage us and provide every opportunity to make it work in andaround Townsville,” Mr Downie said.
“This is something where we have the expertise, wehave the logistics and there is market readiness. It all fits.”
Pure Minerals is acquiring 100 per cent of QPM,subject to a 45-day due diligence period.
Perth-based Pure Minerals chairman Jeremy King saidQPM’s unique relationships and assets complemented their focus on securing aposition in the battery materials market.
Townsville was emerging as a potential batterymanufacturing centre, Mr King said.
“Through QPM’s unique relationships, Pure Mineralsobtains leverage to secure production from world-class nickel and cobaltdeposits,” Mr King said.
The QPM management team includes Gladstone PacificNickel founder Robert Pearce and nickel industry executive Andrew Mathesonwhose father, Peter, was a former manager of Queensland Nickel during its earlydays in Townsville.
Mr Downie said QPM would use an atmosphericpressure acid leach process to extract metal crystal nickel sulphate and cobaltsulphate to supply the battery manufacturing market as well as iron oxide andother elements including scandium used in alloys.
He said the process held advantages because of itslower capital cost and environmental outcomes with reduced tailings and abilityto recycle acid.
“We believe we will build something that is firstand foremost right for the location and right for environmental standards,” MrDownie said.
After feasibility studies at the CSIRO’s researchfacility at Waterford, Perth, the company planned to accept ore from June 2020for processing at a $300 million Stage 1 plant in Townsville in mid-2021,producing 25,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate and 3000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate,employing 400 people.
A larger commercial scale plant would produce130,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate and 25,000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate,employing up to 800 people.
