Australian firm Gwalia Consolidated plans to produce mica from its tantalum processing plant at Greenbushes, Australia. Market studies have shown a potential international market for mica. The Greenbu…
Australian firm Gwalia Consolidated plans to produce mica from its tantalum processing plant at Greenbushes, Australia. Market studies have shown a potential international market for mica. The Greenbushes plant has a tantalum/tin ore treatment capacity of 850,000 tonnes per year and a lithium ore (spodumene) capacity of 300,000 tonnes per year. It produces about 150,000 tonnes per year of spodumene and 5,000 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate. Gwalia Consolidated“s new 5,000 tonnes per year lithium carbonate plant was scheduled to become operational in late-1995 but will not run at full capacity. The company has signed sales distribution agreements for lithium carbonate in Japan, Europe and North America. The project has been partially funded by Itochu Corp. Global lithium capacity is put at 104-110 million lbs a year. Various new projects by a number of lithium operations are likely to create oversupply on the market by the end of 1996. Production has begun at the new 400,000 tonnes per year silica sand joint venture with Itochu and Tochu at Kemerton, Australia. It will make its first deliveries to Japan towards the middle of 1996. Production capacity at the plant could be increased to 1 million tonnes per year. Gwalia is also considering plans to develop its Spanish wollastonite joint venture with Desarollo de Recursos Geologicas.