PLS POWERS AHEAD

PLS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER DALE HENDERSON SPEAKS TO AUSTRALIAN MINING ABOUT THE RAMP UP OF THE P1000 PROJECT AND THE COMPANY'S WIDER GLOBAL AMBITIONS.

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Pilbara Minerals (PLS) has firmly cemented its position as a global lithium leader with the completion of its biggest production expansion to date – the P1000 lithium project in Western Australia.

At the heart of this momentum is a clear vision on market cycles, operational excellence and disciplined growth.

These are principles that PLS chief executive officer Dale Henderson said positions the company well for the next upswing in lithium prices.

“Construction of the P1000 expansion project was completed in January, marking the end of a transformational two-year investment cycle,” Henderson told Australian Mining.

“Ramp up is now complete and we're entering the optimisation phase of the project with a focus on achieving higher production volumes and lower unit cost.”

P1000, located at the company's flagship Pilgangoora operation in WA, adds approximately 320,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of spodumene concentrate production capacity.

It builds on the infrastructure and capacity added through the earlier P680 expansion, bringing the Pilgangoora operation's total nameplate capacity to about 1Mtpa when including both the Pilgan and Ngungaju plants.

“This is in lock step with our phased growth plan to optimise production rates and remain a low-cost producer,” Henderson said.

“We're moving from a growth to consolidation and optimisation phase, ensuring PLS remains in a strong position to thrive as demand for lithium grows in the future.”

The P1000 expansion wasn't just about adding tonnes; it also included significant infrastructure and process improvements to help optimise recovery, improve efficiency and prepare the site for future flexibility.