Altura starts trucking lithium to Port Hedland

Australia-based lithium developer Altura Mining has begun trucking lithium concentrate to the West Australian port of Port Hedland as it continues to ramp up its Altura project.

This comes less than two weeks after the project produced its first concentrate, the company said. Concentrate is being transported by using a combined fleet of single and double road trains.

Altura has rights to a 30,000t storage facility at the port and expects haulage from the mine to the port to average 18,000 t/month. Concentrate is being stockpiled ahead of the first offtake shipment being made to Lionergy in China.

Stage one of the Altura project at full capacity will produce 220,000 t/yr of lithium concentrate. An investment decision is due before the end of this year on doubling output to 440,000 t/yr.

Port Hedland is the world's major hard rock lithium concentrate export hub averaging around 400,000 t/month, almost exclusively to China. Exports are expected to surge when the Altura project is in full swing and Pilbara Minerals' Pilgangoora project starts moving concentrate to the port later this month.