PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Neometals on Friday announced the successful recovery of high purity cobalt sulphate from the hydrometallurgical processing stage of its recycling technology.
The cobalt sulphate was produced from independent pilot testwork in Canada, with the work presenting part of the pre-development activities for a proposed commercial lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling venture targeting more than 90% recovery of LIB materials from electric vehicle and consumer electronics production scarp and end-of-life cells.
Neometals shredded and processed 2.3 t of spent commercial LIBs during the feed preparation stage of the pilot, and 980 kg of unbeneficiated mixed cathode and anode materials were fed into the subsequent hydrometallurgical processing stage, from which cathode metals were being recovered and refined into high purity chemical products.
Neometals MD Chris Reed told shareholders that the first high purity cobalt sulphate production represented the most significant technical milestone in what has been a very comprehensive pilot campaign to deliver the most robust, ecofriendly recycling solution to the LIB supply chain.
“Our strategy of disciplined evaluation with business model flexibility has attracted a multibillion-dollar equipment manufacturer to consider a 50:50 joint venture to fast-track commercialisation. With the massive investment in lithium-ion battery megafactories globally, our conviction to responsibly produce battery raw materials and provide sustainable recycling solutions continues to grow.”