Construction Of Vanadium Electrolyte Manufacturing Facility Underway

Australian Vanadium Limited (ASX: AVL, “the Company” or “AVL”) has appointed engineering group Primero Group Limited (a subsidiary of NRW Holdings, ASX: NWH), to construct its vanadium electrolyte manufacturing facility in Western Australia. Most long lead items have now been received.

KEY POINTS

• Construction is underway at AVL’s vanadium electrolyte facility in Western Australia.
• AVL and Primero Group have signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Primero Group to undertake the construction of the facility.
• U.S. Vanadium LLC (USV) proven electrolyte manufacturing technology being deployed, de-risking construction and start-up.¹
• Facility designed to produce up to 33MWh per year of vanadium flow battery (VFB) high purity electrolyte.
• Australian Government grant of $3.69 million co-funding commercial vanadium electrolyte facility development.²

The Company has appointed experienced operations professional Simon Rough to safely manage the facility through construction and into production. Simon’s extensive experience in vanadium processing and sulphuric acid production makes him a perfect fit to lead the team to successful production of high-quality electrolyte.

CEO, Graham Arvidson comments, “It is satisfying to see the progress being achieved by the team as AVL’s vanadium electrolyte manufacturing plant starts to take shape. Using USV’s proven electrolyte manufacturing technology, AVL aims to become a trusted supplier of vanadium electrolyte within Australia and beyond. We are pleased to have welcomed Simon onboard to manage the facility and work with the existing team, utilising in house electrolyte knowledge and relationships that have been built with companies such as USV and VFB manufacturers. The implementation of the electrolyte plant provides an ideal opportunity for AVL to put into practice, test and further mature its systems, processes and management systems that will ultimately underpin the larger Australian Vanadium Project.”

Figure 1 Equipment for vanadium electrolyte production – L-R bag unit and electrolyte tank

Simon Rough has 20 years of processing and operational experience. He has safely led high performing teams in hydro and pyrometallurgical operations, vanadium processing and sulphuric acid production.

AVL holds the exclusive licence of USV’s process technology for manufacturing vanadium electrolyte for Australia and New Zealand.1 This technology has been used for the design of the vanadium electrolyte manufacturing facility which is being built in the northern Perth suburb of Wangara. Partnering with Primero Group, AVL has developed the facility design to comply with Australian standards and requirements.

Until production of vanadium oxides from AVL’s Midwest Processing Hub commences, vanadium oxide feedstock for the electrolyte facility will be sourced through AVL’s agreement with USV and third-party sources.

AVL was awarded a $3.69 million Federal Government grant in 2021,2 with part of the funding allocated to building and operating a commercial vanadium electrolyte manufacturing facility in Western Australia, to support the commercialisation of VFBs.

AVL aims to produce vanadium electrolyte for commercial use in VFBs by November 2023 and is working on offtake agreements for the produced product.

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