Lynas opens rare earths part processing plant in Kalgoorlie

Lynas Rare Earths has opened the Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility, the first of its kind in Australia, with a ceremony officiated by Resources Minister Madeleine King, the Chair of the Lynas Rare Earths board, John Humphrey, and Lynas CEO & Managing Director Amanda Lacaze.

The Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility is a key part of the Lynas 2025 growth plan and replaces processing steps previously carried out at Lynas's metals manufacturing plant in Malaysia, which has been assailed by environmental protests.

The $800 million large-scale Facility was delivered in less than two and a half years from the receipt of full construction approvals.

Lacaze said: “This was an ambitious project which established downstream rare earths processing in Australia for the first time.

“It was a foundational project for our Lynas2025 growth strategy and a significant financial investment for Lynas and our shareholders.

“We have created a state of the art rare earths processing facility and a new, future facing industry for the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.”

The facility will employ 115, and is fully commissioned and producing.

Lacaze said: “As the only significant ex-China producer of separated rare earths, Lynas plays an important role in the global rare earths supply chain.

“The Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate produced in Kalgoorlie is shipped to our Malaysian facility for separation into individual products, and in future will supply our planned U.S. Facility.”

King said: “This opening is a big deal for Kalgoorlie, a huge deal for Western Australia and a massive step for Australia.

“Processing more of our critical minerals and rare earths here in this country is a big part of the Albanese Government’s plans for Building Australia’s Future.

“Projects like the Lynas Rare Earths Processing Facility will deliver direct economic benefits to Australia while strengthening our sovereign capability.”

Picture: Lynas Rare Earths/(LtoR): Kirsty Dellar, Deputy Mayor, City of Kalgoorlie Boulder; Amanda Lacaze, CEO & Managing Director, Lynas Rare Earths; Madeleine King, Minister for Resources; Andrew Brien, CEO, City of Kalgoorlie Boulder; Amir Hakim, Executive General Manager, Operation
Ramp-up, Lynas Rare Earths; Matthew Lane, Kalgoorlie Operations Manager, Lynas Rare Earths.