Formal sod turning at $1bn Kemerton project

Construction has officially commenced at Albemarle Corporation’s Kemerton lithium plant, which is expected to cost in excess of $1 billion and create 500 construction jobs and another 500 operational jobs in the south-west of Western Australia.

Premier Mark McGowan today joined the recently appointed US Ambassador to Australia Arthur Culvahouse and Albemarle representatives to officially turn the first sod on the construction site.

This event came two months after site works commenced.

In a statement, the state government said it will become Australia's largest lithium hydroxide plant, with approval to produce up to 100,000 tonnes per annum of premium battery grade lithium hydroxide.

Initially, however, Albemarle plans to build three production trains with output of 60,000 tonnes.

The state government also said it was working with Albemarle to ensure job opportunities are maximised for local workers in Collie, Bunbury, the wider south-west and the Murray-Wellington region.

This includes delivering an economic development plan for the region, which will identify strategies and specific training to assist the south-west workforce to take up job opportunities created by WA's Future Battery Industry strategy.

Earlier this week, the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union in a statement said Albemarle had continually ignored union requests to negotiate a site agreement.

“The AMWU is not afraid to disrupt this project if Albemarle put South West workers last and refuse a genuinely and democratically negotiated agreement with their workforce,” it said.

Premier Mark McGowan congratulated Albemarle on making the project a reality.

"In February 2018, I met with representatives from Albemarle in Washington DC to discuss the possibility of launching a lithium project of this magnitude in WA,” he said.

"My government's number one priority is creating local jobs for local workers, so we have been working with Albemarle to make sure there are opportunities for local south-west workers from Collie, Bunbury and Murray-Wellington.

"With up to 1,000 local jobs being created, this project will be a huge economic boost for the south-west region and will show the capability Western Australia has in the lithium-ion battery sector."