The Australian group Albemarle has awarded ACS the construction services for a lithium processing plant in Bunbury, in western Australia, which will become one of the largest in the world in refining this mineral, considered key for batteries of electric cars.
Albemarle is one of the leaders in the lithium industry and its derivatives, and the project will allow it to expand its operations by building two additional processing lines, with the aim of reaching 100,000 metric tons per year, enough to equip the batteries of 2.4 million electric cars.
ACS, which will generate 400 jobs around the Albemarle commission, explains that the agreement is part of several contracts signed in the country for 600 million Australian dollars (360 million euros) related to the processing of minerals and energy equipment for various groups miners.
The winner of all of them is UGL, a subsidiary of Cimic, controlled 100% by ACS and consolidated as one of the large construction and infrastructure groups in Australia. The company chaired by Florentino Pérez is also directing its efforts at businesses such as electric cars and mining.
The other half of the contracts correspond to electrical systems, industrial equipment and other types of services for mining activity. They are intended for Alcoa’s bauxite and alumina plants, as well as the facilities in the country of groups such as Chevron, also from the United States. In some cases, the actions will improve the life of the facilities.
“We are proud to expand our presence in Western Australia and to play a role in expanding the country’s lithium refining and technology infrastructure,” says ACS and Cimic CEO Juan Santamaría.
