(Kitco News) - Lithium producer Allkem (TSX: AKE) announced today that the Naraha lithium hydroxide plant in Japan has produced its first lithium hydroxide chemical product.
Allkem has a 75% economic interest in Naraha through a joint venture with Toyota Tsusho Corporation, which manages the Naraha operation.
According to a press release, with first lithium hydroxide production achieved, the focus will be on progressively increasing the product quality and consistency to reach nameplate capacity of 10ktpa.
The company said that a 12-month ramp up period is expected, during which progressive quality improvement to a battery grade product is targeted for qualification by offtake customers.
“This facility is the first of its kind in the region and we have proven the technology of converting Olaroz technical grade lithium carbonate feedstock into lithium hydroxide,” Allkem noted in a statement.
Allkem is a specialty lithium chemicals company with a global portfolio of diverse lithium assets that produces sustainable lithium chemicals across the global supply chain.
The company’s brine operations are located in Argentina and the expansion of brine production is underway in the region. Other assets include a hard-rock operation in Western Australia, a hydroxide plant in Japan and a hard-rock project in Canada.
