AMPO POYAM VALVES SUPPLIES SEVERE SERVICE BALL VALVES FOR THACKER PASS, THE LARGEST MEASURED LITHIUM DEPOSIT IN THE WORLD

AMPO POYAM VALVES is proud to contribute to the Thacker Pass Project, located in the high desert of Humboldt County, Northern Nevada, USA, home to the largest measured lithium reserve and resource in the world and a cornerstone project for the domestic electric vehicle battery supply chain. Owned through a joint venture between Lithium Americas and General Motors, and executed by Bechtel Mining & Metals, a division of Bechtel Corporation, as engineering, procurement and construction management contractor, the project represents a major milestone in the development of North America’s lithium industry.

Thacker Pass will process sedimentary lithium resources through a shallow open-pit mine and a large-scale processing facility spanning a 642-acre plant complex, to produce battery-quality lithium carbonate (Li2CO3), with an expected life of mine of 85 years. Once Phase 1 is completed, the site will singlehandedly produce more than eight times the current U.S. output of lithium carbonate for electric vehicle batteries, all mined and processed on site. Phase 1 construction commenced in March 2023, targeting mechanical completion in late 2027 and ramp-up to commercial production throughout 2028. Once fully developed, the project has the potential to reach a total production capacity of 160,000 tonnes per year of battery-quality Li2CO3 across five phases.

Thacker Pass is also being developed with sustainability as a core priority, targeting the recycling of more than 85% of the groundwater used in the processing plant and the self-generation of over 40% of its electricity.

AMPO POYAM Severe Service Valves Built to Perform in One of the World’s Most Demanding Lithium Processes

Producing battery-grade lithium carbonate from sedimentary ore is a chemically demanding process, exposing valves to corrosive, abrasive and temperature-variable media across multiple processing stages. For this critical scope, Bechtel selected AMPO POYAM VALVES to design and manufacture severe service ball valves in duplex, stainless steel and carbon steel up to 20” and 600 lbs, engineered specifically to withstand these demanding process conditions and ensure long-term, reliable operation across the facility.

The award reflects the strong track record AMPO has built with Bechtel across multiple energy and industrial projects worldwide, and the trust placed in AMPO’s engineering capabilities to solve application-specific challenges. Beyond the manufacturing and supply of the valves, AMPO’s engineering team worked closely with Bechtel from the early stages of the project, providing tailored technical solutions such as special painting systems and dedicated engineering for extreme temperature conditions, ensuring each valve performs reliably under its intended service.

Valve deliveries began in 2026 and are expected to be concluded by the first quarter of 2027, in line with the project’s construction schedule.

AMPO’s participation in Thacker Pass project builds on the company’s long-standing relationship with Bechtel across multiple energy projects worldwide, reflecting the confidence that leading EPC contractors place in AMPO’s engineering capabilities, product reliability and manufacturing expertise. This project further strengthens AMPO’s footprint in the North American mining and battery materials sector, an industry of growing strategic importance for the global energy transition.

Backed by its fully integrated manufacturing model and extensive experience in severe service applications, AMPO POYAM VALVES continues to support the development of critical mineral projects that are shaping the future of sustainable energy and mobility worldwide.