A year after Pilbara Minerals commissioned the world’s largest lithium ore sorting plant for its Pilgangoora operation in Western Australia, TOMRA Mining’s sensor-based sorting technology is delivering measurable value, contributing to strong production performance, significantly reduced costs, and enhanced resource utilization.
In its June quarter FY25 results, Pilbara Minerals reported a 77% increase in production volume and a 10% reduction in unit operating costs (FOB) compared to the previous quarter. These gains stem from the ramp-up of the P1000 expansion and the integration of TOMRA Mining’s cutting-edge sorting technology.
Commissioned in August 2024 as part of the P680 Expansion Project, the crushing and sorting plant has a capacity of more than 1,000 tonnes per hour. TOMRA Mining’s sensor-based technology enables early waste rejection, significantly improving lithium recovery and final product quality while reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.
“The June quarter marked the strongest performance of the year, clearly demonstrating the impact that TOMRA’s technology can deliver at scale,” said Gavin Rech, area sales and technical manager Australia at TOMRA Mining. “By unlocking value from lower-grade contact ore previously considered uneconomical, the operation now accesses more lithia units from the pit, enhancing resource utilization and mine flexibility.”
This success is the result of several years of collaboration between TOMRA Mining, Pilbara Minerals and engineering partner DRA Global. The project was delivered on time and on budget, following extensive testwork at TOMRA’s Sydney Test Center that demonstrated the technology’s capability to deliver high lithium recovery and effective waste separation across varied ore domains.
Pilgangoora is located 140 kilometres from Port Hedland in Western Australia’s resource-rich Pilbara region on Nyamal and Kariyarra Country.
Source: TOMRA Mining