Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant (C4P) – Stage 3

The Challenge

The Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant (C4P) is unique and one of only a small number of facilities available globally to pursue pilot production of precursor cathode materials (pCAM) for the battery industry.

As pCAM production is a technically sophisticated process, industry seeks not only continuous improvement of existing methodologies, but expansion into alternate chemistries (e.g. NCA or Na-ion materials) whilst developing processes that utilise feed stocks with higher impurities.

Lowering industry and commercial barriers to entry and improving cost competitiveness will ensure Western Australia maintains this critical capability.

Proposed Solution

A $1,494,000 funding commitment supports a partnership between Curtin University, CSIRO and MRIWA and leverages the capability created by the Future Battery Industry Cooperative Research Centre.

This funding commitment aligns with the objectives of Western Australia’s Battery and Critical Minerals Strategy 2024-2030 to increase onshore processing of raw materials to higher-value products.

Proposed Benefits to WA

By expanding critical minerals processing capabilities, the C4P will develop capability, progress research initiatives and support the delivery of fee for service activities to industry.

Alternate chemistries provide commercial operators with new end user applications, whilst the development of processes that utilise high impurity feed stocks can reduce environmental impact given the usual additional requirement of upstream purification.

The C4P demonstrates Western Australia’s technical and processing capability to produce precursor cathode active material (pCAM) for the battery industry.

Ongoing operations of the C4P is a partnership between Curtin University, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia.