HIGH SPEED FERRIES
Austal is an ASX-listed, Australian shipbuilder, defence prime contractor and maritime technology partner of choice; designing, constructing and supporting revolutionary defence and commercial vessels for the world’s leading operators.
For over 30 years, Austal has designed and constructed over 300 vessels for over 100 operators in 54 countries, gaining an enviable reputation for innovative shipbuilding using advanced technologies. From safe, modern shipyards located in Australia, the United States of America, Vietnam and the Philippines – and service centres located around the world – Austal offers naval, government and commercial operators the highest quality ships, systems and support.
Austal’s innovative, market leading mono-hull, catamaran and trimaran designs, expertise in the construction of high performance aluminium vessels, and ability to customize proven commercial platforms to meet market requirements continue to be sought after by the world’s leading maritime public transport operators. The company’s commercial vessel portfolio includes passenger ferries, vehicle passenger ferries, offshore crew transfer vessels and wind farm vessels – ranging in size from 24 metres to 127 metres LOA.
Austal’s commercial shipbuilding operations are located at Henderson, Western Australia and Balamban, Cebu in the Philippines.
M2A is working with Austal to promote and place high-speed ferry boats to the Korean market.
For further information on Austal, please visit www.austal.com for more information.
RARE EARTHS (NdPr)
Arafura Resources is an Australian company with a world class Neodymium and Praseodymium resource in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Arafura Resources will, in the next few years, become a long-term, secure supplier of neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) oxide from its 100%-owned Nolans project. The project site is located 135km north along the Stuart Highway from the town of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia.
- Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) in 2019
- Ore Reserves & Mining Inventory updated in 2020
- Capital cost A$1,026m
- Low cost producer at US$23.71/kg NdPr (current price US$66.36/kg*)
- Costs include ESG compliance
- Only Australian NdPrfocused project that is shovel ready
- Strong demand outlook for NdPr
- Supply risks and shortages
- Positive momentum in the market
- Green economy – renewables and e-mobility
- Industry seeking supply chain diversification & security
- Sustainable sourcing & traceability
- Rebuild & invest in value chain – ERMA
- Creating window of opportunity to develop advanced projects
M2A is working with Arafura to find offtake partners in South Korea.
For further information on Arafura Resources, please visit www.arultd.com for more information.
GREEN HYDROGEN
Infinite Blue Energy strives to enable a sustainable green Hydrogen future from water, solar and wind energy with no carbon debt.
Through alliances with selected and proven technology partners, IBE is able to deliver commercial scale projects that deliver renewable energy safely and economically to evolving domestic and international markets.
Despite the increasing interest in Liquid Hydrogen as a Zero Carbon fuel, there are very few instances of commercial or sub-commercial scale green Hydrogen production. The existing liquid Hydrogen production facilities use traditional fossil fuels with the associated carbon debt.
When Stage One of the Arrowsmith Hydrogen Project, located in Western Australia, commences in 2022, it will produce 25 tons (25,000 kg) of green Hydrogen per day from water, solar and wind energy with no carbon debt. By 2023, with the ability to be expanded to a global scale plant supporting the export of liquid hydrogen to the Asia-Pacific region.
The majority of IBE projects are located in regional Australia, with the key benefits being regional jobs and energy autarky.
By 2040, South Korea plans to produce 6.2 million hydrogen-powered vehicles (3.3 million for export and 2.9 million for domestic) and build 1,200 hydrogen-charging stations across the country. In public transportation, an estimated 80,000 taxis, 40,000 buses and 30,000 trucks will all be powered by hydrogen. South Korea also plans to boost power generation through fuel cells to 15 gigawatts and 2.1 gigawatts for 940,000 households and companies.
South Korea envisions creating “hydrogen cities” by 2022 where hydrogen fuel is used as power main functions such as heating and cooling, electricity, and transportation.
M2A is working with Infinite Blue Energy to seek project funding and off-take agreements.
For further information on Infinite Blue Energy, please visit www.infiniteblueenergy.com for more information.
LITHIUM (SPODUMENES)
Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) is a battery metals exploration and development company with a Tier-1 discovery at its flagship Kathleen Valley Lithium-Tantalum Project in Western Australia.
The Kathleen Valley Project is located in Western Australia, ~680km northeast of Perth and ~350km north northwest of Kalgoorlie. Spodumene bearing pegmatites were discovered by historical prospecting at Kathleen Valley and drilling by Liontown has a current Mineral Resource Estimate of 139Mt @ 1.3% Li2O and 140ppm Ta2O5.
- An increased Ore Reserve to 71Mt at 1.40% Li2O and 130ppm Ta2O5 has underpinned an extension to the mine life to ~40 years (previously 26 years), while maintaining a 2Mtpa mining rate.
- Metallurgical test work in 2020 has resulted in a revised Whole of Ore Flotation (WOF) flowsheet capable of producing >6% Li2O spodumene concentrate at a recovery rate of 76-78% and a tantalum concentrate at an onsite recovery rate of 56%.
- Tantalum concentrate produced at Kathleen Valley will undergo offsite upgrades to produce a final 30% Ta2O5 concentrate product.
- The updated PFS has also outlined an optimised open pit and underground mine plan which provides earlier access to higher grade mineralisation and an improvement in LOM ore feed grade to 1.4% (previously 1.2%), increasing annual production to average 350ktpa SC6 and 430tpa of 30% Ta2O5 concentrate.
- The upgraded PFS (+25% accuracy) will provide a solid basis for the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) (+15% accuracy).
Liontown plans to produce and export ~350Ktpa of spodumenes by Q2-2025.
M2A is working with Liontown to seek project funding and off-take agreements.
For further information on Liontown Resources, please visit www.ltresources.com.au for more information.