Fimpec responsible for construction management of Sibanye-Stillwater’s Keliber lithium project in Kaustinen

Sibanye-Stillwater's Keliber concentrator site in Päiväneva, Kaustinen in mid-May 2024. © Wegevision, Ville Viitamäki

Construction is in full swing at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Keliber concentrator site in Päiväneva, Kaustinen, part of Europe’s first integrated lithium project. Fimpec is responsible for construction management, HSE services, and cost and installation management for the project.

Sibanye-Stillwater’s Keliber lithium project comprises the concentrator under construction in Kaustinen, a lithium refinery being completed in the Kokkola Industrial Park, and seven lithium deposits near the Keliber concentrator. The Keliber lithium project is Europe’s first integrated operation based on ore, set to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide responsibly. Lithium hydroxide is a critical component of lithium-ion batteries.

The estimated annual production capacity of the Keliber concentrator being built in Päiväneva, Kaustinen, is 200,000 tons of spodumene concentrate, which will be transported for refining approximately 70 kilometers to the Keliber lithium refinery in Kokkola. Ore will be supplied to the concentrator from future mines, with preparations currently underway for the commissioning of the first two.

Groundworks at the concentrator site began in November 2023, with actual construction starting in May 2024. The workforce currently consists of about 90 employees, expected to increase to around 150 by fall and peaking at approximately 300 as equipment installation begins towards the end of the year. The Keliber concentrator is scheduled to start production in 2026.

A Pioneering Project Suited for Fimpec

Fimpec was chosen as a supplier to the Keliber lithium project in the fall of 2023. The company is responsible for construction management, cost management, HSE services, and later, installation management. Olli-Matti Airiola, Fimpec’s Operative Director of Project Management Services in the Kokkola area, considers this project a perfect fit for Fimpec’s expertise and a highly interesting endeavor.

“The construction of the concentrator will employ over a dozen of our experts for the next couple of years, making it an important project for us from that perspective alone. It also combines Fimpec’s core competencies in the mining industry, mineral processing, and clean transition, making it a suitable fit. Additionally, it’s exciting for both Fimpec and our experts to participate in this unique pioneering project in Finnish industrial history, introducing new industrial operations to our country and having a significant employment impact in Central Ostrobothnia.”

Airiola emphasizes that this project requires specialized expertise, allowing Fimpec to leverage its extensive experience and knowledge. The construction of production halls is only part of the project.

“Water protection systems form a significant part of the project, and as is typical for industrial construction, coordinating construction work and equipment installation is of utmost importance. Construction efforts have also been coordinated simultaneously with the Syväjärvi mine site, which is being prepared for production. Synergy benefits have been sought by crushing rock material removed from the mine site for use in the concentrator construction site. In this complex equation, we offer our client safety, cost-efficiency, and certainty.”