https://www.miningweekly.com

Thakadu, Mertech Marine form JV to recycle, beneficiate copper in South Africa

2nd February 2023

By: Darren Parker

Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

     

Font size: - +

Beneficiation and trading company Thakadu Resources and seabed telecommunication cables recovery and recycling company Mertech Marine have agreed to form a joint venture (JV) to beneficiate copper recycled from subsea telecommunication cables and to establish a new high-purity copper sulphate plant in South Africa.

The new copper sulphate plant will be equally funded by the JV partners. It is expected that the plant will provide a unique, reliable and responsible supply of copper sulphate for the mining, agricultural and chemical industries in sub-Saharan Africa. 

“This partnership immediately creates a vertically integrated recycling and beneficiation business in South Africa. The copper sulphate project is exciting but so are the prospects for further collaboration in battery recycling given our networks and expertise,” Thakadu CEO Ruli Diseko said on February 2.

Having pioneered the responsible supply of battery raw materials from South Africa, Thakadu plans to build and operate the new plant within Mertech Marine’s existing recycling facility in Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape. The plant will have the capacity to produce 5 200 metric tons a year of high-purity copper sulphate.

Commercial production is planned for 2024, pending necessary regulatory approvals. 

Mertech Marine said that it believes the JV will unlock value through further beneficiation opportunities. 

“With the formation of this JV, we will unlock value from our metal pipeline by taking full advantage of our synergies through actively contributing to the circular economy. The successful development of this project with Thakadu will enable more exciting possibilities like the production of copper foil for battery anodes,” Mertech Marine CE Alwyn du Plessis added.

The parties agreed that the copper sulphate plant would be the first of a series of projects to catalyse their complementary capabilities in the green economy. 

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

Comments

The functionality you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION