EV Metals Arabia, the operating subsidiary of EV Metals Group plc (EVM), has signed a Front-End Engineering Design Agreement (FEED) with Mustang and Faisal Jameel Al Hejailan Consulting Engineering Company, a subsidiary of Wood Plc, for the development of the first two processing trains for production of lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) in the Lithium Chemicals Plant of the Battery Chemicals Complex in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Under the FEED agreement, the scope of work will focus on the non process infrastructure, utilities and port infrastructure. The balance of FEED is being undertaken by Amec Foster Wheeler Australia (trading as Wood) in Perth, Western Australia in an integrated owners team with EVM.
EVM is building a global battery chemicals and technology business with the development of the world’s first integrated Battery Chemicals Complex at Yanbu Industrial City in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Battery Chemicals Complex will produce high purity chemicals containing lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and other metals and cathode active materials used in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.
Eng. Abdullah S. Busfar, Chairman of EVM comments, “The Lithium Chemicals Plant is a strategic first step in the development of our Battery Chemicals Complex. The first two trains of LHM will bring in an initial investment of US$800 million. They will produce 50,000 tpa of LHM for Original Equipment Manufacturers, principally electric vehicle manufacturers and battery cell manufacturers seeking stable, long term, independent and transparent supply chains as structural deficits emerge in lithium after 2025.”
“The BCC is strategically located in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to become a global hub for midstream and downstream processing of critical raw materials for a clean energy future.”
Michael Naylor, Managing Director of EVM comments, “Wood Plc have world-class technical capabilities and experience in delivering LHM plants in Western Australia and have been working with us for the last 2 years on Feasibility Studies for our unique Battery Chemicals Complex.”
“The Lithium Chemicals Plant is designed to process spodumene concentrate containing 6% lithium oxide (SC6) imported from upstream spodumene concentrators in Western Australia. Construction of the first two trains of LHM is scheduled to commence in Q1 2023 with commissioning scheduled for the second half of 2024”.
“EVM has identified a critical gap in supply chains for electric vehicles manufacturers and battery cell manufacturers which EVM is addressing through the development of a Lithium Chemicals Plant, a Nickel Chemicals Plant and a Cathode Active Materials Plant based on the upstream integration and development of supply chains for long term supplies of lithium, nickel, cobalt and other metals from Western Australia while the Saudi supply chain is being developed.
