Centrifuge Packages GEA Equips Two Additional Production Lines for Lithium Hydroxide Production

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GEA has plans to equip two additional lithium hydroxide production lines from Albemarle with centrifuge packages. Lithium hydroxide is used as a starting material for the production of batteries for electric vehicles. The centrifuges will be installed at the company’s Kemerton lithium hydroxide processing plant in Western Australia.

Duesseldorf/Germany – GEA is equipping two additional production lines of the energy storage and specialty chemicals group Albemarle for the production of lithium hydroxide. Lithium hydroxide is used as a starting material for the production of batteries for electric vehicles. Other applications include photo developers, ceramic products and the production of borates. The order value for the two centrifuge packages is approximately 24 million euros.

The filtration and sedimentation centrifuges will be installed at the company’s Kemerton lithium hydroxide processing plant in Western Australia. Specifically, GEA will supply four different types of centrifuges: screen screw centrifuges, decanter centrifuges, peeler centrifuges and pusher centrifuges for the processing lines of each refinery. In addition, consulting services for installation and commissioning are part of the overall package.

Goran Erdevicki, Managing Director of GEA Westfalia Separator Australia, says: "Albemarle is one of the largest lithium producers in the world. We have already delivered and commissioned the first two centrifuge packages from 2019. For us, the new order is a nice confirmation of the joint, successful work of our two companies. We are therefore very pleased that we can now equip two further new production lines with filtration and sedimentation centrifuges."

Construction of the Kemerton plant began in 2019 with two processing trains expected to produce 50,000 tons of product per year when fully operational. The plant was completed in 2022 and is currently being prepared for full operation in 2023. Expansion plans are also progressing, with the FID (Final Investment Decision) for processing strands 3 and 4 expected in the second quarter of this year, which will increase capacity to 100,000 tons per year upon completion around 2025. The plant will process spodumene ore (containing 6 % lithium oxide) transported from the Talison mine in Greenbushes to produce lithium hydroxide and a sodium sulfate by-product.

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