Australian mining company Mineral Resources (MinRes) announced the Bald Hill reactivation, its lithium mine located in Western Australia, after several months of preventative maintenance due to the drop in international lithium prices. Currently, the sustained recovery of lithium market and the increased demand for battery minerals prompted the company’s decision to restart operations.
Located about 50 kilometers southeast of Kambalda, in the Goldfields region, the mine has the capacity to produce approximately 165,000 metric tons annual dry quantities of 5.1% spodumene concentrate, equivalent to about 140,000 tons of SC6 per year.
MinRes projects spodumene production starting in July
The company reported that activities within the plant will ramp up toward the end of May, and crushing and extraction operations will begin during June. The first production of spodumene concentrate is expected in July, while the first shipment from the Port of Esperance is projected for the first fiscal quarter of 2027.
Furthermore, MinRes estimates that it will reach full production capacity during the second quarter of the same fiscal year.
The company’s Mining Services division will assume all activities related to extraction, crushing, processing, and transportation. This integrated model allows MinRes to reduce operating costs and maintain greater logistical control within the lithium supply chain.
The mine will create hundreds of jobs in Western Australia
The reactivation of Bald Hill will also have a positive impact on employment in Western Australia. According to the company, the project will create approximately 370 jobs.
Some of these positions will initially be filled by relocating employees from other MinRes operations. Subsequently, the company will proceed with new hires to complete the staff.
The restart also strengthens mining activity in the Goldfields region, a key area for production of critical minerals in Australia.
MinRes seeks to consolidate global leadership in hard rock lithium
With the operational return of Bald Hill, MinRes will become the only company in the world with three lithium mines active hard rock and with their own spodumene concentrate facilities.
According to Chris Ellison, the combination of high-quality assets and integrated mining services positions the company to capitalize on the new expansionary phase of the lithium market. The executive added that the company remains committed to supplying the growing global demand for critical minerals used in the energy transition.
Source: Mineral Resources