Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston attended a sod turning ceremony today to mark the beginning of construction at Lynas' Rare Earths Processing Facility in Kalgoorlie.
Lynas will process rare earth concentrate from its Mt Weld mine, which is one of the world's highest-grade rare earths deposits and the largest outside of China.
The new facility will create 290 construction jobs and up to 128 operational jobs.
The project supports the McGowan Government's vision to grow the State's battery and critical minerals sector.
The Future Battery and Critical Minerals Industries Strategy is helping to boost exports, increase investment, diversify the economy and create thousands of high-quality, well-paid jobs for Western Australians.
Lynas Rare Earths has committed to supporting the local economy during the construction phase, using local trades and purchasing building materials from nearby suppliers.
The Mt Weld mine accounted for around 10 per cent of global production in 2021.
As stated by Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston:
"This is an exciting moment for Kalgoorlie and the Western Australian economy, as we take an important step in diversifying our economy and creating new jobs.
"Western Australia is in a prime position to establish our place at the centre of the global critical minerals supply chain for generations to come.
"The McGowan Government and Lynas Rare Earths have worked with local contractors and workers to bring this vision to fruition for the benefit of our State and to benefit communities in the Goldfields."
