AMPO POYAM VALVE to Supply Ball Valves for Thacker Pass Project

AMPO POYAM VALVES is proud to support the Thacker Pass Project, located in the high desert of Humboldt County, Northern Nevada, USA. Home to the world’s largest measured lithium reserves, the project forms a key pillar of America’s domestic EV battery supply chain. Jointly owned by Lithium Americas and General Motors, the development’s EPCM contractor is Bechtel Mining & Metals of Bechtel Corporation. Thacker Pass will exploit sedimentary lithium using a shallow open-pit mine and a 642-acre processing plant to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate over an 85-year mine life. After Phase 1 startup, the site will produce more than eight times the current US EV battery lithium carbonate output. Phase 1 construction started in March 2023; mechanical completion is targeted late 2027, with commercial ramp-up in 2028. Full five-phase buildout could reach 160,000 tpa battery-grade Li₂CO₃. Sustainability is central to the project: it aims to recycle >85% of process groundwater and generate over 40% of its electricity on-site. Producing lithium carbonate from sedimentary ore creates tough operating conditions, with corrosive, abrasive and temperature-varying media. Bechtel selected AMPO POYAM VALVES to design and manufacture severe service ball valves up to 20” Class 600 in duplex, stainless and carbon steel, engineered for reliable long-term operation in this harsh process environment. This award extends AMPO’s long-standing partnership with Bechtel on global energy and industrial projects. AMPO engineers worked hand-in-hand with Bechtel from early project stages, delivering bespoke technical solutions such as special paint systems and extreme-temperature design to meet site requirements. Valve deliveries started in 2026 and will be completed in Q1 2027, aligned with the project construction schedule.