Magnesium pharmaceutical pilot project EcoMag ready to go ahead on outskirts of Karratha

A magnesium pharmaceutical pilot project which could one day generate $40m a year and employ up to 36 residential staff on the outskirts of Karratha is ready to go ahead five years after planning began. EcoMag will take Dampier Salt production wastewater, known as bitterns, and turn it into high-purity magnesium products used in the production of specialty glasses, aeronautical industry, paint filler, metal processing, fire retardants and cosmetics. It was one of several highly-touted government-supported diversification plans to surface in Karratha in the mid-2010s, but news on the project has been quiet since mid-2019. Backers of the project had hoped to have the $65m processing plant built in 2019, but construction of the facility will begin next month instead. EcoMag chief executive Tony Crimmins said the company had kept working behind the scenes because it saw value in the project. “Not only for the company and getting its products made, but also the value for the Karratha region,” he said. “We’re all go, we’ve got agreements in place but it’s just the usual little bits and pieces that need to be fixed with the local government. “We’re looking forward to becoming part of the business community of Karratha and hopefully supporting further downstream businesses because the materials that we make could be used to make a lot of other things that Karratha could be unique for.” Mr Crimmins said the company planned to make 600 tonnes of magnesium organics during its first project. About 50 jobs are expected to be created by the project and EcoMag has previously stated it is interested in a residential workforce. City of Karratha Mayor Peter Long said EcoMag was an exciting and sustainable new growth industry for the region. “The project has the potential to create a significant new export industry in Karratha, utilising Australian-first technology to produce and sell high purity magnesium compound to a worldwide market and delivering significant economic and environmental benefits to our community,” he said. “EcoMag is one of several projects identified by the City to form part of the Ecohub concept where like-minded businesses are co-located, sharing significant infrastructure such as land, roads and utilities to make them more commercially viable.” Pilbara MLA Kevin Michel said the project would create local jobs and diversify the local economy.