Proposed lithium-ion battery cathode recycling plant
American Manganese Inc. (AMY) has announced that the company’s contractor, Kemetco Research, has developed a conceptual layout for American Manganese’s first commercial lithium-ion battery cathode recycling plant with a 3 tonne per day processing capacity.
From Kemetco’s analysis and experience with comparative projects, the capital expense is estimated to be US$12 million accounting for the design and construction of specialized equipment.
American Manganese’s confidence in the operation of the commercial plant is attributed to the scale-up and testing of the pilot plant project, assessing and mitigating risks associated with the transition to a commercial scale operation.
American Manganese has expressed interest in commercialization via licensing or joint venture agreements and plans to locate the recycling plant in a strategic location within North America, where it will prepare recycled products suitable for battery manufacturing.
During these unprecedented times, the foreign dependency of rare earths and critical metals has turned resource security into national security and the RecycLiCo patented battery recycling technology is an opportunity for governments to advance research and assist in commercialization in order to secure a domestic supply of critical metals while promoting an environmentally responsible circular economy in the 21st century’s tech metals race.
“We have always been confident in Kemetco given their experience and recent achievements with ioneer’s lithium-boron project. Our conceptual plant layout brings together the last three and a half years of planning, theory, lab research, pilot plant tests, and optimization,” said Larry Reaugh, President and CEO of American Manganese.
“Our methodological approach was not an overnight success like some competitors may allude and our first recycling plant will be a demonstration of the RecycLiCo process on a commercial scale as we continue to expand our global reach.”
American Manganese looks to upgrade capacity of the pilot plant project and continue testing sample lithium-ion battery material received from battery manufacturers to collaborate with proprietary cathode formulas that could achieve optimal material recovery, such as purity, particle distribution, and particle size, with minimal environmental impact.
Kemetco Research is a private sector integrated science, technology and innovation company. Their Contract Sciences operation provides laboratory analysis and testing, field work, bench scale studies, pilot plant investigations, consulting services, applied research and development for both industry and government.
Their clients range from start-up companies developing new technologies through to large multinational corporations with proven processes.
Kemetco provides scientific expertise in the fields of Specialty Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Process and Extractive Metallurgy. Because Kemetco carries out research in many different fields, it can offer a broader range of backgrounds and expertise than most laboratories.
American Manganese Inc. is a critical metals company focused on the recycling of lithium-ion batteries. The process provides high extraction of cathode metals, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, and aluminium at high purity, with minimal processing steps.
