Nano One Materials Corp (CVE:NNO) (OTCPINK:NNOMF) (FRA:LBMB) is taking its patented One Pot cathode materials production process to Chile after the company’s project proposal with Associated Universities Inc (AUI) was selected by the Chilean Clean Technology Institute (Instituto Chileno de Tecnologías Limpias or ICTL).
Nano One and AUI submitted their proposal to make nickel-rich cathodes using Chilean lithium carbonate back in March. AUI was announced as the winning bid by the Corporación de Fomento de la Producción de Chile (CORFO) Council on January 4 to build, manage and operate the Institute.
"Chile is one of the largest lithium producers in the world by making lithium carbonate from brine resources in the Atacama desert," Nano One CEO Dan Blondal said in a statement. "... Our innovation avoids the need for lithium hydroxide, the costs of the required conversion plants and the associated consumption of water and energy. Furthermore, lithium carbonate eliminates issues related to shelf-life and corrosion, making it easier-to-handle and less costly. These advantages could disrupt the supply chain and lead to increased demand for lithium carbonate and are at the core of the proposal we have made to the Chilean Clean Technology Institute."
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Nano One's technology offers the flexibility to use either lithium carbonate or hydroxide by mixing lithium with other metal inputs in its patented One Pot reaction to produce a fully-lithiated mixed-metal intermediate powder that is neither carbonate nor hydroxide, allowing it to form finished cathode powder when thermally processed in a furnace.
Conventional methods form mixed-metal intermediate powders that must then be milled and thermally processed with lithium hydroxide powders because the required furnace temperatures are not compatible with lithium carbonate, the company noted.
"We are excited to work with Nano One as we prepare to create, manage, and operate the ICTL, including a new battery testing and manufacturing facility in the Antofagasta region,” AUI CEO Adam Cohen said.
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