Pensana is establishing a world-class, independent and sustainable supply chain for rare earth magnet metals vital for the green energy revolution. The rare earth materials are essential for the magnet materials driving electric vehicles and powering wind turbines.
This will be the world’s first sustainable rare earth separation facility established in over a decade and will become one of only three major rare earth producers located outside of China.
Global demand for rare earth materials is required to increase sevenfold by 2040 to meet the global demand for renewable technologies. Used in everything from electric cars to modern consumer electronics and solar panels, rare earths are all around us. This group of 17 metals are crucial to reaching global net zero and powering the renewable energy revolution sweeping the globe.
Target production will enable us to supply approximately 5% of the 2025 projected world demand for rare earth magnet metals. Enabling the energy transition to continue and support the construction of the much-needed wind turbines also constructed within the region; further placing the Humber region at the heart of the drive to a global net zero future.
Pensana has developed a low carbon operation and will commit to further deep and meaningful carbon reduction across not only its operations but those across its value chain and aims to be net zero by no later than 2040. We intend to power ultra-low carbon metal production at the Saltend facility by low-carbon electricity generated from offshore wind located off the coast of East Yorkshire.
Initially, we will produce materials from our own mining resources but as we look to the future, we are fully supportive of the circular economy. We have partnered with leading energy provider, Equinor, to develop a low-energy method for recycling end-of-life wind turbine magnets using low-carbon hydrogen produced by their Hydrogen to Humber project at the Saltend facility. Completing the circle of rare earth minerals and securing supplies for the future.
We have also partnered with the electric car manufacturer, Polestar, on its moonshot goal of creating the first truly climate-neutral car by 2030. This collaboration is amongst great international interest in the project from leading automotive and offshore wind producers.
The ultra-modern facility being constructed at Saltend Chemicals Park will create 450 jobs during construction. Once in operation, it will create a further 125 high-value full-time jobs which will include:
- Chemical Engineers
- Control & Automation Engineers
- Process Operatives
- QC and QA Technicians
- Maintenance Engineers
- Health and Safety Supervisors
- Logistics, Planning and Warehouse Supervisors
- Procurement Managers
