Australian company plans to build a $607M lithium refinery at the Port of Brownsville. It’s a big bet on America’s battery future

By José Martínez

Australian company Lithium Universe Ltd. plans on building a refinery in the Port of Brownsville that would convert minerals from Africa, Brazil and the U.S. into lithium carbonate, a material long used in some batteries for electric vehicles, energy storage and consumer electronics.

The project aims to support up to 200 full-time permanent employees, has an estimated capital cost of $607 million and projects a 42% gross margin, according to the company’s pre-feasibility study released this month.

Lithium Universe’s entrance into the U.S. market comes as the Trump administration tries to reduce dependence on other countries for critical minerals such as lithium. Last year, the country relied on imports to meet more than half of domestic lithium demand, while China’s output accounted for three-fourths of refined lithium production.