Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, this was a great week to announce this investment to Sheffield Resources, but a month or so ago the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility announced a loan of just under $20 million to Pilbara Minerals, which is developing a lithium project at the Pilgangoora mine in the Pilbara region. This is a project that will also create jobs and opportunities in northern Western Australia. Lithium of course is in massive demand around the world, and we are the world's largest producer of lithium. We have tripled our lithium production in eight years, and we have great potential to further that development, as well. This particular investment will help do that in Western Australia. There are also opportunities to go into the supply chain of lithium, to process the lithium spodumene into hydroxide, and create even more value and jobs opportunities for our country.