Lead-recycling technology firm Aqua Metals Inc (NASDAQ:AQMS) shot up almost 30% after successful testing of a technological breakthrough.
At the beginning of December, the company said it believed it had developed a solution to address a condition described as “sticky lead” in which lead recovered during the company's proprietary AquaRefining process was hanging up on the AquaRefining modules’ exit chutes.
AquaRefining is a room temperature, water-based process that is fundamentally non-polluting.
Since then, testing of the solution has proved successful and the electrolyser retro-fit design has now been approved for production.
The solution is now being applied to all 16 AquaRefining modules and the modules are expected to be placed into commercial operation on a rolling basis, Aqua Metals said.
“Our technical and operations teams rose to the challenge by putting significant time, effort and analysis into developing and validating a solution to the sticky lead issue,” said Dr Stephen Clarke, the chief executive officer of Aqua Metals.