QPM secures council approval to allow TECH project to proceed
A planned $2.1bn battery metals refinery has received all the key approvals it needs to allow its proponents to proceed. See how it could transform Townsville.
Townsville
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Townsville City Council has approved plans for a $2.1bn battery metals refinery at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct, giving the project all the key permits its needs to proceed.
Mayor Jenny Hill said Queensland Pacific Metals’ Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub would elevate the city as a centre for advanced manufacturing and renewable energy.
“We are proud QPM have chosen Lansdown as the future home for their TECH project which will create sustainable jobs for the region and help grow Townsville,” Cr Hill said.
“This vote of confidence in our city and the Lansdown project is key to the council creating Northern Australia’s foremost eco-industrial precinct for advanced manufacturing, processing, technology and emerging industries.”
The Development Permit and Environmental Authority allow QPM to operate the project’s Stage 1 to process around 1.6m wet metric tonnes of ore per year to produce 16,000t of nickel metal and 1750t of cobalt metal, both in sulfate form, as well as 610,000t of hematite, 4000t of high purity alumina and 260,000t of engineered landfill.
The Development Permit and Environmental Authority allow QPM to operate the project’s Stage 1 to process around 1.6m wet metric tonnes of ore per year to produce 16,000t of nickel metal and 1750t of cobalt metal, both in sulfate form, as well as 610,000t of hematite, 4000t of high purity alumina and 260,000t of engineered landfill.
It follows last month’s environmental approvals by the federal government.
QPM Managing Director and CEO Dr Stephen Grocott said they were very pleased to be a first mover at Lansdown, an industrial precinct being established 40km southwest of the city.
“Townsville is the ideal location for the TECH project due to its attractive location and its proximity to critical infrastructure, such as port, rail, road, gas and water, in place together with quality engineering services and skilled labour,” Dr Grocott said.
The TECH project is being developed in response to the growing demand for battery materials for electric vehicles, particularly nickel and cobalt.
Once operational, it will be a world-leading zero waste, carbon negative, sustainable, clean and green production facility.
Earlier proposals — of a smaller scale — claimed 800 jobs would be created in the construction stage alone.
Dr Grocott said the project was backed by world class shareholders including US industrial giant General Motors who has committed $108m toward sourcing nickel and cobalt to power their electric vehicles.
Supported with grants from state and federal governments, the council will construct key supporting infrastructure including roads and water supply. Construction has started on an access road to connect Jones Rd to the northern boundary of QPM’s Lansdown site.
QPM says this will allow them to start site works around March/April next year.
It aims to obtain debt funding in quarter two/quarter three of calendar 2023.
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Originally published as QPM secures council approval to allow TECH project to proceed
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