IperionX receives key permits for Ti powder production in Virginia
August 10, 2023
IperionX Limited, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, has received all permits to commence construction and operations at its planned titanium metal production facility in Virginia, USA.
These permits include the Industrial Wastewater Discharge permit issued by the Halifax County Service Authority, and the New Source Review (air pollution) permit issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. These permits meet the requirements to scale to the planned TCF-1 (titanium commercial facility) capacity of 1,125 tonnes per annum (tpa) of titanium metal within the existing 4,645 m2 shell building in Halifax County, Virginia.
All major engineering works for the planned Stage 1 TDF (titanium demonstration facility) are now complete, with key long lead time equipment ordered and procurement underway. First titanium production is planned for Q1 2024, and IperionX plans to reach a production run-rate of 125 tpa of titanium metal by Q3 2024. A planned modular Stage 2 expansion to the TCF-1 level would lift titanium production capacity to 1,125 tpa by the end of 2025. Development of the TDF remains subject to Board approval for a final investment decision.
The design of the TDF and TCF-1 are based upon a scaled-up version of the current Industrial Pilot Facility, in Salt Lake City, which has been successfully operated by IperionX since January 2022. IperionX has upgraded this facility, and improved operational processes, to achieve a significant increase in the titanium production capacity with higher efficiency and consistency.
IperionX now plans to build the largest recycled titanium metal powder production facility globally, and reportedly the only titanium plant that uses 100% titanium scrap metal as feedstock. The titanium production facility in Virginia is designed to have zero Scope 1 & 2 emissions and is expected to produce UL validated 100% recycled titanium metal powder with the lowest carbon intensity on the market.
“IperionX is uniquely positioned to re-shore titanium metal production to the USA, reducing the acute reliance on titanium imports from foreign nations and lowering the significant environmental impacts from producing titanium metal using the existing ‘Kroll Process’ – which is energy intensive, high cost and generates excessive greenhouse gas emissions,” explained Anastasios (Taso) Arima, IperionX CEO.
“IperionX has a pipeline of potential US government funding programs and incentives that are designed to support domestic efforts to re-shore critical mineral and material supply chains,” Arina continued. “With the successful development of this project, IperionX will be the only commercial primary titanium metal producer in the US, with the capacity to deliver low carbon and low-cost titanium for advanced American industries.”
The Halifax County Development Authority will fund the building fit-out works with an investment of up to $4 million to prepare for process equipment installation in late 2023.
IperionX previously announced strong forecast economics for the TDF and TCF-1 in a Techno-Economic Assessment released in April of this year. With low capital intensity, the TCF-1 operation is forecast to deliver ~ $100 million of EBITDA in 2026, based on key operating assumptions.
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