AMPO POYAM VALVES is supplying severe-service ball valves for the Thacker Pass lithium carbonate project in Humboldt County, Nevada, being developed through a joint venture between Lithium Americas and General Motors. Bechtel Mining & Metals, a division of Bechtel Corporation, is responsible for engineering, procurement and construction management for the project.
The Thacker Pass facility is being developed to process sedimentary lithium resources through a shallow open-pit mine and a processing complex covering 642 acres. The project is designed to produce battery-quality lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) for the electric vehicle battery market.
Construction of Phase 1 began in March 2023, with mechanical completion targeted for late 2027 and commercial production expected to ramp up through 2028. Once Phase 1 reaches full production, the project is expected to produce more than eight times the current US output of lithium carbonate used for electric vehicle batteries.
The overall development has the potential to reach a production capacity of 160,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year across five phases. The project also includes measures aimed at reducing resource consumption, including plans to recycle more than 85% of groundwater used during processing and generate more than 40% of its electricity on site.
Bechtel selected AMPO POYAM VALVES to design and manufacture severe-service ball valves for the processing facilities. The valve supply includes equipment manufactured in duplex, stainless steel and carbon steel, with sizes extending up to 20 inches and pressure ratings up to 600 lbs.
The valves have been engineered for process conditions involving corrosive and abrasive media as well as changes in operating temperature. AMPO’s engineering team worked with Bechtel from the early stages of the project to develop valve solutions suited to the operating requirements of the lithium processing facility.
The scope also included specialised painting systems and dedicated engineering for applications involving extreme temperatures. These measures were incorporated to meet the service conditions expected across different sections of the plant. Valve deliveries for the project began in 2026 and are scheduled to continue through the project’s procurement and construction programme.
The supply forms part of AMPO POYAM VALVES’ involvement in industrial projects requiring equipment designed for demanding process environments. The company’s severe-service valve portfolio covers applications where material selection, pressure performance, temperature resistance and corrosion protection are critical to plant operation.
The Thacker Pass project is expected to become a major domestic source of lithium carbonate for the US electric vehicle supply chain, while the use of specialised valve technology will support the processing systems required to convert mined lithium resources into battery-grade material.
