Pilbara Minerals Limited (PLS) is a Perth-based ASX listed company, owning one of the world’s largest, independent hard rock lithium operation. Located in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, PLS’ Pilgangoora Operation produces spodumene and tantalite concentrates.

Pilgangoora operation

PLS’ Pilgangoora Operation is located 140km from Port Hedland in Western Australia’s

Pilbara The Pilbara () is a large, dry, sparsely populated regions of Western Australia, region in the north of Western Australia. It is known for its Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal people; wealth disparity; its ancient landscapes; the prevailing r ...

region. The Pilgangoora ore body is one of the largest hard rock

lithium Lithium (from , , ) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard temperature and pressure, standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the ...

deposits in the world. While the Pilgangoora Operation delivers

spodumene Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate, Li Al( Si O3)2, and is a commercially important source of lithium. It occurs as colorless to yellowish, purplish, or lilac kunzite (see below), or alternatively yellow ...

concentrate to market, PLS is pursuing a growth and diversification strategy to become a sustainable, low cost lithium producer and a fully integrated battery materials supplier in the future. A 13 MW / 8 MWh

battery Battery or batterie most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source * Battery indicator, a device whic ...

was installed in 2025 to supplement the 6 MW solar and 30 MW gas power generation.

Colina project

PLS' Colina Project is located 10 kilometres from the town of Salinas in the mining jurisdiction of

Minas Gerais Minas Gerais () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil, being the fourth largest state by area and the second largest in number of inhabitants with a population of 20,539,989 according to the 2022 Brazilian census, 2022 census. Located in ...

, Brazil. PLS acquired the Colina Project in 2025 following the acquisition of Latin Resources. The project has the potential to become a hard rock lithium operation by production globally (excluding Africa) with a current combined Mineral Resource inventory of more than 77.7 million tonnes with ongoing exploration and drilling planned to unlock the project’s full potential of the resource.

Downstream lithium chemical facility

PLS has an 18% equity stake in a joint venture with South Korean company POSCO known as POSCO Pilbara Lithium Solutions (PPLS). In 2024, PPLS completed construction of a Lithium Hydroxide Chemical Facility in Gwangyang, South Korea. PLS will supply spodumene concentrate to the facility from its Pilgangoora Operation in Western Australia under a long term offtake agreement. The facility has the potential to produce up to 43,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year at full capacity, enough to make batteries for around one million electric vehicles.

History

PLS was founded in 2013 by a group of five geologists who studied at university together. PLS’ history is fairly new and a short one in terms of Australian mining, and the Company is one of the first in Australian lithium sector and a major contributor to the global lithium supply chain. From the first drill hole to production in less than four years, PLS’ Pilgangoora Operation has developed to become a major global supplier producing 11%¹ of the world’s hard rock lithium. ¹ Based on hard rock lithium supply in calendar year 2024 as estimated by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence in the Lithium Forecast Report Q2 2024.

References

PLS and POSCO celebrate completion of joint chemical facility , PLSPilbara Minerals Limited (PLS) Annual Report 2024

External links

* {{Authority control Companies based in Perth, Western Australia Companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange Gambling companies of Australia Lithium mining Mining companies of Australia Non-renewable resource companies established in 2005 Economy of the Pilbara 2005 establishments in Australia