Credit: Tesla

Tesla Lithium Refinery will begin operations in early 2024, according to the Tesla Sr. Manager of Operations. The company is already considering future expansion.

Construction of the Tesla Lithium Refinery in Robstown, Texas is progressing at a rapid pace. Photos taken in late August showed that much of the area was largely ready for construction. There you could see heavy equipment working, as well as specific equipment. A large tent and concrete structures were erected on the territory. Overall the site looked pretty lively.

Now, Tesla Sr. Manager of Operations Jason Bevan, speaking at the manufacturing day expo in Corpus Christi, provided more information in an interview with KIIITV. He said the company will begin commissioning the factory in early 2024. Bevan explained that by then, the equipment will be installed and the company will be ramping up production until the end of the year.

“We will begin commissioning the assets roughly at the start of next year, and this momentum will continue in earnest during the first half of the year. Production will ramp up in the last half of 2024,” Bevan said.

In addition, Bevan also suggested the potential for expansion of the Lithium Refinery after Phase 1 is ready. He noted that this will have a positive economic impact, including through the direct jobs created.

“We have a property that is well-suited for future expansion, extending beyond the initial two trains. So, there is ample opportunity for further economic growth beyond the direct jobs we create,” Bevan said.

On May 8, Tesla held a groundbreaking ceremony for its lithium refinery plant. It is located in Robstown near Corpus Christi, Texas, USA. It was attended by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and other company executives, as well as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other local, state, and federal leaders, welcoming the founding of the enterprise. Tesla plans to invest $375 million to build the factory. When completed, the facility will represent a $1 billion investment in southwest Texas.

The 1,200-plus-acre location will be the site of the first industrial deployment of acid-free lithium refining. In the process of achieving this, the use of hazardous reagents that pollute the environment is eliminated. In addition, there are no byproducts that are not useful. As a result of Tesla's new method of lithium extraction, the byproducts will be a mixture of sand and limestone. Both are used in the production of building materials, which means they can be used efficiently.

More info about the faciliry from Joe Tegtmeyer could be found here.

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