Energy future: WA Government unveils new $200m fund at opening of International Graphite’s Collie plant

WA’s powerhouse town of Collie further cemented itself as the State’s energy-sector future on Friday with a WA-first processing facility opened as the Premier announced a new multi-million-dollar fund to help further entice renewable industries to the town. Premier Mark McGowan officially announced the new $200 million Collie Industrial Transition Fund at an event in Collie, the fund’s target being projects within the priority sectors of green manufacturing or minerals processing, clean energy, and energy-intensive industry. The fund is aimed at large-scale industrial projects that create local jobs, with investment expected to help unlock industrial land and renewables projects, and new projects expected to create more than 400 permanent jobs in Collie. This new fund was unveiled at the opening of International Graphite’s new processing facility in Collie — the first of its kind in WA — and comes after recent State Government funding announcements for two industrial projects in Collie. International Graphite received a $2m grant from the State Government’s Collie Futures Industry Development Fund to help construct the facility, using more than 30 local suppliers and contractors during construction. The plant is expected to employ more than 40 full-time staff as production increases. Also in Collie’s Light Industrial Area, Quantum Filtration Medium will receive $2m to build a new manufacturing plant to supercharge production of its in-demand water treatment systems. A further investment of nearly $2m from the Collie Industry Attraction and Development Fund will support Magnium Australia in working to establish the world’s most energy-efficient and low emissions magnesium refinery in Collie. In opening International Graphite’s plant Mr McGowan said it was one of many project that would help diversify Collie’s economy and create new, long-term local jobs for workers. “Projects like the Magnium refinery and International Graphite facility put Collie at the forefront of value-adding and emerging new industries in Australia,” he said. “Collie has a bright future — and key to this future are the new industries we are helping to establish in Collie.” International Graphite executive chair Phil Hearse said the new facility was further proof the company was well on its way to establishing commercial downstream graphite processing facilities in Collie. “Batteries are critical to the success of global decarbonisation and we are proud to be helping Australia build its sovereign capability and achieve the full value of both its engineering expertise and natural graphite resources,” he said. “International Graphite has the technical expertise to implement our vision and we are grateful for the support and assistance we have received from both the WA Government and Collie community.” The company expects to finish construction of its commercial-scale graphite processing plant in Collie by the end of 2023 ahead of completing a fully integrated battery anode project by 2025, which will be used to process graphite from the company’s Springdale mine in Hopetoun. After the opening in Collie’s light industrial zone, the Premier and business chiefs presented project updates at a community forum, attended by more than 150 local community members, stakeholders, civic leaders and business owners.