Published: July 28, 2022 |

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Pensana, a UK-based rare earths developer, has started construction of its $195 million Saltend rare earth processing hub in Hull, England.

Located in the Humber Freeport in East Yorkshire, the refinery will produce critical components for electric vehicle and offshore wind original equipment manufacturers. The facility will be powered by offshore wind.

Pensana expects to begin production at the Saltend rare earth processing hub in late 2023 following a 12-month construction period. The facility will be ramped up to full capacity in 2024.

The rare earths developer is targeting the production of 12,500 tonnes of separated rare earths. This would include 4,500 tonnes of the highly important magnet metal rare earths such as neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr), which are expected to make up more than 5 percent of the world supply in 2025.

The Saltend rare earth processing hub will involve more than 450 people for its construction and 125 long-term jobs for its operations.

“It is a great privilege to have broken ground on the world’s first independent and sustainable rare earths separation plant. This is a huge milestone for both Pensana, the Humber region and the UK, as part of our ambition to establish a critical magnet metals supply chain to secure the green energy transition,” said Pensana Chairman Paul Atherley.

“Securing ATF funding is a key development, demonstrating the UK Government’s support for this important project in line with the newly launched critical minerals strategy. Pensana is set to play a vital role in transforming the UK’s electric vehicle and offshore wind industries, by producing low- embedded carbon magnet metals and creating high value local jobs,” added Atherley.

The company also announced securing funding for the development of the Saltend rare earth processing hub under the British government’s £850m Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF).

“Pensana breaking ground today has been made possible in part through government support and shows how our plans to secure an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK continues to gain momentum,” said UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary of State Kwasi Kwarteng.

“This incredible facility will be the only of its kind in Europe and will help secure the resilience of Britain’s supplies into the future,” added Kwarteng.

Source: NS Energy

About Pensana
Pensana plans to establish Saltend as an independent and sustainable processing hub supplying the key magnet metal oxides to a market which is currently dominated by China. The US$195 million Saltend facility is being designed to produce 12,500 tonnes per annum of rare earth oxides, of which 4,500 - 5,000 tonnes will be neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr), representing over 5 percent of the world market in 2025. Pensana’s plug and play facility is located within the world class Saltend Chemicals Park, a cluster of leading chemicals and renewable energy businesses in the Humber Freeport and will create over 500 jobs during construction and over 125 direct jobs once in production. It will be the first major separation facility to be established in over a decade and will become one of only three major producers located outside China. Pensana is aiming to establish Saltend as an attractive alternative for mining companies who may otherwise be limited to selling their products to China, having designed the facility to be easily adapted to cater for a range of rare earth feedstocks.

To stop by Pensana’s website, CLICK HERE

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