Rincon Mining, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto, has named Worley as the Lead Integration Delivery Partner for its new lithium project in Argentina.
With a total investment of more than $2 billion by Rio Tinto, the Rincon project will develop a scalable, long-life resource capable of producing 60,000 t/y of battery-grade lithium carbonate from raw brine.
Worley will be responsible for the delivery of the lithium carbonate plant and coordination with all subcontractors, including technology providers and construction contractors.
The facility is situated on the Puna de Argentina, a high plateau in the Andes that spans the provinces of Jujuy, Salta and Catamarca. This location makes construction and design particularly challenging, given its high altitude and remote setting, Worley says.
The project builds on our existing partnership and our work on the Rincon 3000 starter plant and will benefit from our strong presence and established expertise in Argentina’s lithium market. This project saw the company establish a 3,000 t/y starter operation.
Andrew Roy, President of Latin American operations for Worley, said: “This joint effort went from concept to reality at an unprecedented speed for both companies. It’s a great example of Worley working with our customer, not just for our customer.”
