Magnium Australia was awarded a A$2.5 million investment grant by the Cook Labor Government to support the construction of the pilot plant for its net zero magnesium refinery in Collie, Australia.
Magnesium plays a critical role in numerous industries, including automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy. The metal’s lightweight and high-strength properties make it essential for fuel efficiency, emission reduction, and advanced manufacturing. As an example, every kilogram of magnesium used in motor vehicles is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50 kg over the motor vehicle’s life.
Australia has abundant magnesium feedstock resources, so it has the potential to become a global leader in this sector. In order to achieve that goal, the country needs to invest in decarbonized magnesium production, such as the technology being developed by Magnium.
Developed in cooperation with CSIRO and derived from a breakthrough in rocket science, Magnium’s technology involves “a proprietary carbothermic reduction process with supersonic quenching to extract magnesium metal from magnesium-rich waste resources. This world leading extraction technology results in lower energy consumption, reduced carbon emissions, and an unprecedented reduction of environmental footprint.”
The new grant, which is in addition to a previous A$6.25 million grant awarded in 2023, will support the construction and opening of the pilot plant in Collie. This will allow the company to perform commercial-scale testing of the technology. The pilot is expected to produce 800 tonnes of high-purity magnesium per year and create 18 jobs in the area. It is expected to start operation in 2025.
After the pilot plant demonstrates the viability of the carbothermic reduction technology, Magnium aims to build a large-scale commercial refinery in Collie by 2027. The commercial plant would likely have a capacity of 30,000 tpy, with the possibility of boosting production up to 100,000 tpy. The full-scale refinery would create hundreds of industrial jobs for region.
“Powering on with attracting major new industries for Collie is crucial for the town’s industrial future, and this pilot plant is a critical step to making Collie home to a full-scale, job-creating magnesium refinery,” said Roger Cook, premier of Western Australia. “Collie’s future is in renewable energy industries, and our clean energy plan keeps Collie at the heart of our economy for decades to come — locking in long-term local jobs.”