Australia draws Chinese, U.S. lithium processors in EV supply chain shift

New investments close to mines diversify production away from top refiner China

20221024N australia ev battery materials

A joint venture between China's Tianqi Lithium and Australian miner IGO started up a refining plant in Western Australia this past May. (Photo courtesy of Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia)

FUMI MATSUMOTO, Nikkei staff writer

SYDNEY -- Miners in Australia, the world's largest producer of lithium, are moving off the ground floor of the global market for electric-vehicle battery materials through partnerships with big U.S. and Chinese processing companies.

Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia, a joint venture between China's Tianqi Lithium and Australian miner IGO, in May started up a plant for battery-grade refining plant in Western Australia, the first of its kind in the country.

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