Australian lithium producer Pilbara Minerals has announced that, together with its project partner Calix, the com-pany has been awarded a A$20 million (US$14 million) grant from the Australian government under its Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) - Manufacturing Translation Stream.
“Grant funding will be used as part of a joint venture … to be entered into between Pilbara Minerals and Calix for the progression of a demonstration scale chemicals facility at the Pilgangoora Project - with the aim of producing lithium salts for global distribution via an innovative midstream 'value added' refining process,” Pilbara Miner-als said in a statement.
The company and Calix are well advanced in negotiations with re-gards “to the formation of a Joint Venture for the future development of a small-scale Demonstration Plant, with the Parties targeting to sign in early Q3 2022,” according to the statement.