Bell Bay and the north-west: industrial projects under strain

Liberty Bell Bay: receivership widened

On 7 November the Tasmanian Government widened the Liberty Bell Bay receivership from the manganese ore stockpile to the company’s wider assets and undertakings, after the liquidators disclaimed the site. The release says the aim is to keep environmental monitoring and upkeep going. See the receivership story.

Firmus: float scrapped, one approval

Firmus Technologies abandoned a float that would have valued it at $44 billion, the ABC reported on 29 October, and will pursue private funding. Some investors are entitled to extra shares if no qualifying float is completed by 30 November. Firmus told a parliamentary inquiry earlier that its 288MW Bell Bay AI factory was not yet funded. See the scrapped float.

Separately, Latrobe Council staff approved the conversion of an existing warehouse at the former Wesley Vale pulp mill into a 26MW AI research facility, without a councillor vote, the ABC reported. Details are in the Wesley Vale approval.

Westbury: gas plant without a DA

Solstice Energy and Optimal Renewable Gas have up to $12.5 million of state funding for a proposed $50 million renewable gas plant at Westbury. No development application has been lodged with Meander Valley Council, which assesses the industrial precinct site. See the Westbury biohub.

The scorecard

• Planning approval in hand: one (Wesley Vale warehouse conversion).
• Government funded or rescued: two (Bell Bay Aluminium, Westbury gas plant, partly).
• Receivership: one (Liberty Bell Bay).
• Not funded: one (Firmus Bell Bay).

What to watch

• Firmus’s 30 November qualifying-float date.
• A DA for the Westbury plant.
• What the receivers do with the Liberty Bell Bay site.
• Any further redundancies at the smelter.

Funding status, approval status and job numbers are as reported by the named outlets, not checked by us against company filings.