PLS Group has awarded TOMRA Mining a contract to supply 22 X-ray transmission (XRT) ore sorters for the proposed P2000 expansion at its Pilgangoora lithium operation in Western Australia (WA).
The contract, awarded through PLS subsidiary Pilgangoora Operations, covers secondary and tertiary sorting units, as well as project management, specialist tooling, packing and delivery.
The equipment forms part of PLS' pre-final investment decision (FID) early works programme for P2000. Engineering and procurement of long-lead equipment will begin immediately, although the expansion remains subject to a positive FID by the PLS board.
The P2000 project would expand the ore-sorting infrastructure already installed at Pilgangoora. PLS previously incorporated crushing and ore-sorting facilities into expansion work at the operation, with the sorting circuit used to process material ahead of downstream processing.
TOMRA's senior vice-president and head of mining, Albert du Preez, said the existing sorting circuit had demonstrated the "reliability, availability and consistency" required for high-throughput operations at Pilgangoora.
"P2000 represents the next stage in that journey," du Preez said, adding that the project builds on the companies' work together since initial test work and ore characterisation programmes began in 2017.
A proposed fly-through of the Jimmagunya Plant, part of PLS' planned P2000 expansion at Pilgangoora in WA. PLS said the name, meaning 'spring country', was selected in consultation with Nyamal Traditional Owners.
TOMRA said its work with PLS has included testing, project development, commissioning and ongoing operational support, with technical assistance provided both on-site and remotely.
If approved, the P2000 installation would add to Pilgangoora's existing sensor-based sorting capacity and represent the next stage of the operation's expansion programme.
The contract comes as PLS progresses preparatory work for P2000, which was outlined in a June 2024 pre-feasibility study as a potential expansion of Pilgangoora's processing capacity to more than two million tonnes of spodumene concentrate a year.
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"PLS awards TOMRA contract for 22 ore sorters at Pilgangoora, WA" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.