Pilgangoora

Pilgangoora is a major hard-rock lithium mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, operated by Pilbara Minerals.

History

Pilgangoora was discovered in the 1980s but remained undeveloped for decades as lithium was not yet in high demand. Pilbara Minerals acquired and developed the project, with first production in 2018. The mine has rapidly expanded to become one of the largest spodumene (lithium) producers globally, driven by surging demand for battery minerals.

Why It's Iconic

Pilgangoora is one of the largest spodumene (lithium) deposits globally and a significant operation in Australia's critical minerals sector.

Scale and Production

Pilgangoora is one of the largest hard-rock lithium mines globally by production capacity. Annual production capacity has been expanded through multiple stages, targeting over 1 million tonnes per annum of spodumene concentrate.

Equipment

Technology and Autonomous Systems

Processing Infrastructure

Pilgangoora processes pegmatite ore through crushing, screening and dense media separation to produce spodumene concentrate. The operation produces both chemical-grade and technical-grade concentrate for lithium battery and industrial markets.

Workforce

Approximately 300-400 employees and contractors, with a mix of FIFO from Perth and residential workers from nearby Port Hedland and the East Pilbara.

Major Milestones

• 1980s: Spodumene deposit discovered
• 2014: Pilbara Minerals acquires project
• 2018: First production
• 2020s: Multiple expansion stages completed
• Ongoing: One of the largest lithium mines globally

Interesting Facts

• One of the largest spodumene lithium deposits in the world
• First production was as recent as 2018 — a relatively new major mine
• Located in the Pilbara, the same region as major iron ore operations
• Central to Australia's battery minerals strategy
• Rapidly expanded through multiple stages to meet global lithium demand