After the lithium price witnessed a "significant and sustained" increase, the Australian lithium producer MinRes has resumed the operation of its wholly-owned mine in Western Australia - the Bald Hill mine.
The company stated that it will start expanding production scale in late May, commence crushing and mining operations in June, and is expected to produce lithium spodumene concentrate for the first time in July.
The Bald Hill mine was placed in maintenance mode in November 2024. The annual production capacity of this mine is approximately 165,000 tons, with a lithium spodumene concentrate grade of 5.1% (SC5.1). If converted to the standard grade, the annual production capacity is 140,000 tons (SC6), which is 6% grade lithium spodumene concentrate (SC6).
It is expected that the first batch of lithium spodumene concentrate will be dispatched from the Esperance port in the third quarter of 2026, and full-scale production will be achieved in the fourth quarter.
MinRes is also operating the Wodgina and Marion lithium mines. The company has raised the production expectations for these two mines for the fiscal year 2026 to 280,000 tons SC6 and 220,000 tons SC6 respectively.
