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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Groundbreaking has taken place at the US$195 million rare earth processing hub project in Saltend, Hull in the U.K.
Supported by the government and attended by Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng, it will be the first major separation facility to be established in more than a decade and will become one of only three major producers located outside China. The facility, located inside the Saltend Chemicals Park and being developed by Pensana, is being designed to produce 12,500 tonnes per annum of rare earth oxides, of which 4,500-5,000 tonnes will be key magnet metal rare earths, including neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr). At full production in 2025, Saltend will represent more than 5% of the world market supply. The facility will also be the first in the world to be powered by offshore wind. Creating over 500 jobs during construction, it will employ more than 125 direct jobs once in production.
The start of construction coincided with the launch of the government's Critical Minerals Strategy, which aims to help secure the U.K.'s future supplies of rare earth minerals critical to its green transformation, particularly in becoming a major player in making electric vehicle (EV) batteries on a large scale. Industrial Info is tracking plans for the country's first gigafactory, which will be constructed at a former coal-fired plant in Blyth and which has benefitted from £100 million (US$120 million) in funding support from the government. It will have a capacity of 300,000 EV batteries a year by 2027. Industrial Info reported that the project had been green lit last July and the first phase is expected to go live in 2023. For additional information, see July 19, 2021, article - U.K. Green Lights First EV Battery 'Gigafactory' and January 31, 2022, article - First EV Battery 'Gigafactory' for U.K. Gets Funding Boost.
"Pensana breaking ground today has been made possible in part through government support and shows how our plans to secure an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the U.K. continues to gain momentum," said Kwarteng. "This incredible facility will be the only of its kind in Europe and will help secure the resilience of Britain's supplies into the future. "That's why we've also launched the U.K.'s first Critical Mineral Strategy, setting out plans to develop robust supplies of minerals that are key to our economic success and national security. The strategy will bolster our resilience to market shocks and geopolitical events, while supplying key industries such as automotive and defense."
Pensana Chairman Paul Atherley added: "It is a great privilege to have broken ground on the world's first independent and sustainable rare earths separation plant. This is a huge milestone for both Pensana, the Humber region and the U.K. as part of our ambition to establish a critical magnet metals supply chain to secure the green energy transition. Pensana is set to play a vital role in transforming the U.K.'s electric vehicle and offshore wind industries, by producing low embedded carbon magnet metals and creating high value local jobs."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
Supported by the government and attended by Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng, it will be the first major separation facility to be established in more than a decade and will become one of only three major producers located outside China. The facility, located inside the Saltend Chemicals Park and being developed by Pensana, is being designed to produce 12,500 tonnes per annum of rare earth oxides, of which 4,500-5,000 tonnes will be key magnet metal rare earths, including neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr). At full production in 2025, Saltend will represent more than 5% of the world market supply. The facility will also be the first in the world to be powered by offshore wind. Creating over 500 jobs during construction, it will employ more than 125 direct jobs once in production.
The start of construction coincided with the launch of the government's Critical Minerals Strategy, which aims to help secure the U.K.'s future supplies of rare earth minerals critical to its green transformation, particularly in becoming a major player in making electric vehicle (EV) batteries on a large scale. Industrial Info is tracking plans for the country's first gigafactory, which will be constructed at a former coal-fired plant in Blyth and which has benefitted from £100 million (US$120 million) in funding support from the government. It will have a capacity of 300,000 EV batteries a year by 2027. Industrial Info reported that the project had been green lit last July and the first phase is expected to go live in 2023. For additional information, see July 19, 2021, article - U.K. Green Lights First EV Battery 'Gigafactory' and January 31, 2022, article - First EV Battery 'Gigafactory' for U.K. Gets Funding Boost.
"Pensana breaking ground today has been made possible in part through government support and shows how our plans to secure an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the U.K. continues to gain momentum," said Kwarteng. "This incredible facility will be the only of its kind in Europe and will help secure the resilience of Britain's supplies into the future. "That's why we've also launched the U.K.'s first Critical Mineral Strategy, setting out plans to develop robust supplies of minerals that are key to our economic success and national security. The strategy will bolster our resilience to market shocks and geopolitical events, while supplying key industries such as automotive and defense."
Pensana Chairman Paul Atherley added: "It is a great privilege to have broken ground on the world's first independent and sustainable rare earths separation plant. This is a huge milestone for both Pensana, the Humber region and the U.K. as part of our ambition to establish a critical magnet metals supply chain to secure the green energy transition. Pensana is set to play a vital role in transforming the U.K.'s electric vehicle and offshore wind industries, by producing low embedded carbon magnet metals and creating high value local jobs."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
