International Graphite receives $4.5 million State Government funding for construction of Collie plant

The company behind plans for a graphite micronising plant in the Collie LIA has received a major boost. International Graphite revealed last week it had formally secured $4.5 million in funding from the State Government to assist with construction costs for the project, which once completed is set to be the first commercial plant in Australia. Managing director Andrew Worland said the company was excited to be pushing ahead with the project. “Establishing a micronising business in Collie has been an important step in our development plans,” he said. “Critically it will establish the company as a producer in the graphite industry and build further our technical skills as we progress our Springdale mine to market battery anode material strategy.” The funding will be split into two parts, with $2m to cover half the estimated cost of building the plant and the remaining $2.5m to be spent later down the track on the plant’s expansion. Graphite from the plant will be sourced from the company’s planned mine near Hopetoun, with the Collie facility expected to eventually reach an 10,000 tonnes per annum capacity. “At those production levels, our Collie facility will be among the most significant global producers of micronised graphite outside of China,” Mr Worland said. The company is already operating in the town, with International Graphite opening a research and development facility in Collie in 2022. Funding for the initial building of the plant has also been received from the Federal Government’s critical minerals office.