Rockwood to expand lithium carbonate capacity in Chile

PRINCETON, US: Rockwood Holdings Inc announced that it plans to invest $140 million in a new lithium carbonate production plant in Chile. The new investment, along with the company’s current $75 million expansion programme in the United States, will increase total annual production capacity to 50,000 metric tonne of lithium carbonate equivalent by end of 2013. Under the new investment programme, Rockwood will build a 20,000 metric tonne lithium carbonate plant at the sight at LeNegra, near the port of Antofagasta in northern Chile. The company expects the plant to be on stream by end of 2013.

“The accelerating increase in the demand for lithium, especially high purity lithium compounds required for the production of large format lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles of the future, is making it necessary for us to substantially increase production capacity to ensure that we meet the growing needs of our customers. The new investment will also make it possible for us to develop and produce new grades of sophisticated and high purity lithium compounds required for all applications such as batteries, pharmaceutical and lithium alloy,” said Seifi Ghasemi, Chairman and CEO, Rockwood.

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