Liontown Resources’ Kathleen Valley lithium operation in Western Australia has officially opened its doors, with a formal ceremony taking place on July 10.
Located about 60km north of Leinster and 680km north-east of Perth, Kathleen Valley holds a mineral resource estimate of 156 million tonnes, with over 80 per cent of the mineral resource classified as measured or indicated.
Building off this significance is the operation holding its official opening on July 10.
Guests of the ceremony included Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King, WA Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael, Liontown board members and executives, representatives from Liontown’s key partners, Traditional Owners of the land in which Kathleen Valley is situated and Liontown customers.
The opening ceremony commenced with a Welcome to Country by senior Tjiwarl member and Bundarra Contracting managing director Brett Lewis.
Liontown chair Tim Goyder, Liontown managing director and chief executive officer Tony Ottaviano, King and Michael also gave speeches, with a commemorative plaque unveiled to formally mark Kathleen Valley’s opening.
“The road to net-zero is built through Australia’s resources and the Kathleen Valley operation is a perfect example of that,” King said.
“Kathleen Valley is also setting benchmarks in sustainable mining with renewable energy meeting 80 per cent of the mine’s energy needs.”
The ceremony’s guests were then given a guided tour of Kathleen Valley, including Kathleen’s Corner open pit – which is on schedule to be complete by early 2026 – and the Mt Mann box cut, where the underground production ramp-up is underway.
The mine’s process plant was also highlighted, with guests learning about its fourth-generation modern and unique design. Guests also visited the 95-megawatt hybrid power station and renewable infrastructure.
“The Kathleen Valley lithium operation aligns with the national interest: it supports the energy transition, creates high-value and well-paid regional jobs, and is strategically positioned to strengthen supply chains in the west through our Korean and US offtake customers – everything our national critical minerals strategy is designed to achieve,” Ottaviano said.
Backed by a 23-year mine life and an expected production rate of 500,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per annum, Kathleen Valley has long-term offtake agreements with companies such as Tesla, Ford and LG Energy Solution.
Liontown secured a $15 million interest free loan from the WA Government under the $50 million Lithium Industry Loan Facility in May.
The Lithium Industry Loan Facility is a support program that aims to help the lithium sector amid the critical mineral’s downturn. It was introduced in January and is a central component of the WA Government’s broader $150 million lithium support package.
“The (WA) Government is proud to support Western Australia’s lithium sector – a major employer, a key contributor to the state’s economy and an essential part of the global transition to clean energy,” Michael said.
“We are working with industry to ensure WA remains a global leader in the lithium-ion battery supply chain, with our Lithium Industry Support Program helping the sector navigate global market fluctuations.”
Kathleen Valley is WA’s first underground lithium mine. Liontown kicked off underground production at Kathleen Valley in April, with full underground mining expected to take place by September 2026.
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