Project Overview
The TECH Project
The Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub (“TECH Project”) is 100% owned by Queensland Pacific Metals Ltd (“QPM”).
The TECH Project will be a modern and sustainable battery materials refinery, processing imported, high-grade laterite ore from New Caledonia to produce nickel sulfate and cobalt sulfate, as well as other valuable co-products. The TECH Project will boast global-leading sustainability credentials for mineral processing, with negative carbon emissions, no tailings dam and no process liquids discharge.
QPM has already secured offtake agreements for 100% of Nickel and Cobalt sales for the life of the project. In addition to being offtake partners General Motors, LG Energy Solutions, and POSCO are also investment partners with a significant shareholding in QPM. The TECH project has a nameplate production of 16kt nickel metal contained in nickel sulfate and 1.75kt cobalt metal contained in cobalt sulfate.
The Queensland Government has recognised the benefits of developing the TECH Project by declaring it a “Prescribed Project”. Prescribed Project Status identifies projects that are of state significance and are economically & socially important to a region. Prescribed Projects’ enables the Office of the Coordinator General to ensure timely decision-making regarding Government approvals.
Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct: An Ideal Location
The TECH Project will be located in Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct near Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The regional city of Townsville offers a major port, extensive industry and supporting infrastructure, engineering services, and skilled labour, making it the perfect location for the TECH Project.
Located approximately 45km south of the main city by road, the TECH Project site in Lansdown is well-supported by critical infrastructure such as road, rail, gas pipeline, water pipeline, and the ability to connect to the power grid. The Townville City Council (TCC) will also be developing road and water infrastructure for the Lansdown precinct, with both Federal and State government funding allocated to assist with funding this infrastructure. QPM has been working closely with TCC to ensure that infrastructure development matches the TECH Project’s needs in construction and operation.
Townsville City Council commences construction of site access road
TECH Project site situation 45km south of Townsville by road
A Green Production Facility
Based on an ISO-compliant life cycle assessment conducted by Minviro, the TECH Project will have a net negative carbon impact of 989,000CO2-e, meaning our operations will reduce Australia’s carbon footprint. This is a huge accomplishment for the TECH Project and demonstrates its commitment to sustainability.
In addition to being negative carbon, the TECH Project is revolutionizing the resources sector by becoming a zero solids waste operation. After leaching valuable metals into solution and refining them into saleable products, the remaining residue is only 25% of the dry ore feed. This residue, made up of silicates including quartz sand, has been found through testwork conducted by James Cook University (JCU) to have structural properties suitable for engineered fill. The company is in the process of obtaining an End of Waste Code, which would reclassify the residue as a resource, and is in ongoing discussions with the Office of Coordinator-General for using the engineered fill at the Townsville State Development Area.
*It’s important to note that the carbon credit market and its regulation are constantly changing. The TECH Project is still a few years away from its first production, so changes in carbon credit markets around the world may improve or hinder QPM’s ability to monetize the credits.
Conceptual Project Layout