Primobius and InoBat to operate lithium-ion battery recycling facility
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA – Lithium battery recycling process designed to generate low CO2 emissions and to deliver high purity chemicals back to the battery manufacturing sector.
Primobius, an Australian-German joint venture company, has announced the execution of a non-binding memorandum of understanding with the Slovakian battery manufacturing company, InoBat Auto, Bratislava. The agreement represents the first steps to Primobius’ commercial roll-out in Europe and should secure a source for significant volumes of critical plant feed.
In the commercial lithium-ion battery (LiB) recycling facility, the commercial shredding operations would be fed by InoBat’s battery production scrap and this is anticipated to be followed by hydrometallurgical refining of the black mass (output of the shredding operations) in a hub facility to generate cathode raw materials.
InoBat aims to accelerate the rapid implementation of electro-mobility solutions in Europe by developing a fully integrated value chain, which will increase the global competitiveness of the European economy and provide a long-term sustainable solution to the automotive market.
InoBat is building a ‘gigafactory’ with 10 gw/hr capacity by 2024. It is anticipated that the company will produce 50,000 tons p.a. of new batteries after its full commercial start (expected in 2024).
Primobius Managing Director Michael Tamlin commented: “We are very delighted that Primobius and InoBat have commenced business planning activities and will work progressively towards definitive legal agreements for a cooperation. The fact that we aroused the interest of a battery manufacturer with our recycling technology so shortly after the founding of Primobius reflects the status of our project and the industrial scalability of our recycling solution.”
InoBat is a member of the IPM Group of companies, focusing mainly on infrastructure and technology related investments in Europe, primarily in Slovakia, where it is establishing lithium-ion battery demonstration and production lines with applications in the electric vehicle sector (www.inobatauto.eu).
