News Articles for Ken Brinsden

Shares in Pilbara Minerals have fallen up to 10 per cent today after June quarter sales from its Pilgangoora project are expected to be lower than originally anticipated, due to construction delays by its offtake partners.

Pilbara Minerals has exercised an option to enter into a joint venture with steelmaker Posco to develop a lithium processing facility in South Korea.

Western Australia continues to evolve into a globally significant energy metals province, with Pilbara Minerals securing funding to support a second stage of its Pilgangoora lithium mine in the north of the state, while US chemicals giant Albemarle Corporation has begun work on its $1 billion lithium hydroxide facility near Bunbury.

Lithium producer Pilbara Minerals has resolved to approve the stage two expansion at its Pilgangoora mine once all necessary approvals and funding have been secured.

Pilbara Minerals has released a definitive feasibility study for the planned stage-two expansion at its Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project, with chief executive Ken Brinsden confident the $231 million upgrade will go ahead.

Few projects are more meaningful for WA's economic direction than the Greenbushes lithium mine expansion and the new lithium refinery in Kwinana.

The WA School of Mines should include new disciplines and postgraduate degrees to insulate it from the cyclical resources economy, and help it become a global leader in its field, according to three former students who are now industry leaders.

A $207 million expansion to more than double the capacity of Pilbara Minerals' Pilgangoora project could get under way as early as this year, after a pre-feasibility study released today delivered positive results.

Atlas Iron has struck a deal with lithium developer Pilbara Minerals to purchase up to 1.4 million tonnes of direct shipping lithium ore over the next 15 months.

Pilbara Minerals has announced multiple changes to its Pilgangoora lithium project, with the company planning to: spend an extra $50 million on development; export unprocessed ore to boost early cash flow; and outsource ore crushing to Mineral Resources.

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Pilbara Minerals has struck an agreement to work on the possible development of a lithium processing facility in joint venture with South Korean companies Polaris Shipping and LG Chem.

Pilbara Minerals has secured an offtake and $28 million equity deal with Chinese car maker Great Wall, effectively replacing a previous financial commitment from one of the aspiring miner's other offtake partners.

Contract Power Group has won a contract to build, own and operate a power station at Pilbara Minerals' Pilgangoora lithium project for at least seven years, while former Fortescue Metals Group delivery manager Dale Henderson has taken over as Pilbara's project director.

Pilbara Minerals has chosen MACA to carry out mining services work at its Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project for an undisclosed sum.

ANALYSIS: Two local lithium players will be hoping their early move into the sector justifies the hefty interest rates on their loans.

Pilbara Minerals has signed-off four major contracts for its Pilgangoora lithium project, with RCR Tomlinson, NRW Holdings, Action Industrial Catering and the Njamal traditional owners winning the lion's share of the work.

Pilbara Minerals will soon begin constructing its Pilgangoora lithium project after its board this morning gave the green light for the $214 million development.

Norway-based investment bank Pareto Securities has completed its first major Australian deal, as sole manager of a $US100 million ($A133 million) bond issue announced today by Pilbara Minerals.

Pilbara Minerals has been given a final environmental tick for its Pilgangoora lithium project, and is now cleared for construction, but the company will be continuing work on project financing.

Shares in Pilbara Minerals were up 20 per cent on news the company has inked a major offtake and $US20 million investment agreement it says will pave the way for final funding of development of its Pilgangoora lithium project.

Pilbara Minerals has signed a farm-in deal with Atlas Iron over its Mt Francisco lithium project, and the two companies have also struck a preliminary agreement allowing Pilbara to use Atlas Iron's existing infrastructure to support early shipments from the Pilgangoora project.

Pacific Energy chairman Cliff Lawrenson will add the top job at Atlas Iron to his list of roles after being appointed chief executive and managing director of the iron ore miner today.

Pilbara Minerals has further bolstered its board with the appointment of Fortescue Metals Group director of operations Nick Cernotta as an independent non-executive director.

SPECIAL REPORT: Gold Road Resources could be the next gold junior to make it into the mid tier after its recent moves on the Gruyere project.

Shares in Pilbara Minerals have surged on news the company has locked in a second offtake agreement for its Pilgangoora lithium project.

Mineral Resources and Pilbara Minerals have resolved their offtake dispute for the Pilgangoora lithium project, with MinRes to surrender its entitlements in return for a $50 million stake in Pilbara.

Pilbara Minerals has announced the purchase of several long-lead items for its Pilgangoora lithium project to remain on track with its planned commissioning date next year.

Pilbara Minerals plans to expand its Pilgangoora lithium portfolio with the acquisition of Dakota Minerals' Lynas Find project for up to $8 million.

Mineral Resources and Pilbara Minerals continue to lock horns over an offtake agreement for lithium mined at the Pilgangoora project, with the companies exchanging words over the ASX today.

Pilbara Minerals boss Ken Brinsden said today there was a reasonable chance the company would double the production capacity at its Pilgangoora lithium project, after releasing a definitive feasibility that confirmed the positve economics of its base-case development.

Pilbara Minerals has shortlisted three engineering consortia for construction of the processing infrastructure at its Pilgangoora lithium development, while also appointing Engenium to assist in delivery of the project.

PHOTO ESSAY: Business News photographer Attila Csaszar captured images of some of WA's business and political leaders at their workstations.

SPECIAL REPORT: Lithium stocks led by Pilbara Minerals and Galaxy Resources have seized the opportunities presented by the commodity's surge.

Lithium hopeful Pilbara Minerals has scored an $18 million equity injection, offtake agreement and downstream processing deal with an unnamed Chinese company.

Senior mining figures Peter Bilbe and Anthony Kiernan have joined the boards of local companies Intermin Resources and Pilbara Minerals respectively.

Swiss commodities multinational Glencore has taken an 8.5 per cent stake in battling iron ore miner Atlas Iron through subsidiary Maru Sky.

Atlas Iron's creditors appear likely to own the majority of the business after shareholders voted in favour of the iron ore miner's proposed debt-for-equity swap at a meeting today.

Pilbara Minerals has announced the biggest capital raising by a Western Australian company for 2016, which it will use to fund development of its Pilgangoora lithium project, while also announcing it will put its new Tabba Tabba plant on ice.

Pilbara Minerals is targeting lithium and tantalite production at its Pilgangoora project near Port Hedland by the end of next year, after a pre-feasibility study estimated an $184 million capex.