Lithium Australia NL’s (ASX:LIT) (OTCMKTS:LMMFF) (FRA:3MW) recycling division Envirostream Australia has commenced its expanded field trial program for 2021, following successful trials last year using recycled alkaline battery material as a fertiliser micronutrient.
The expanded program is targeting manganese-deficient soil types and will assess two products based on positive outcomes of the process development for the separation of manganese from single-use alkaline batteries.
Seeding has been undertaken at three West Australian sites (in collaboration with Summit Fertilizers), along with one dedicated Envirostream site in WA and one trial site in South Australia.
The range of sites will allow the company to test the performance of the recycled battery material across varying broadacre soil types.
“Expansion of successful 2020 program”
Lithium Australia managing director Adrian Griffin said: "Lithium Australia and its subsidiaries are committed to providing the battery industry with sustainable outcomes.
“The expansion of Envirostream’s successful fertiliser micronutrient program into 2021 demonstrates this commitment and further positions Envirostream to support implementation of the national Battery Stewardship Scheme, to ensure that as many spent batteries as possible are recycled rather than consigned to landfill."
Collaboration with Summit Fertilizers
The company is pleased to be collaborating with Summit Fertilizers, which has a highly experienced area manager network and dedicated field research team, and extensive experience using nutrients that achieve the best outcomes for customers.
Summit has provided access to three of its 2021 trial sites, two with wheat and one with lupins, to assess Envirostream products.
2021 field trial program
Envirostream's micronutrients will again be agglomerated with mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP) fertiliser, with treatments at the Envirostream sites to include:
- No fertiliser (control);
- Summit MAP at two target phosphate addition rates;
- Summit MAP and Manganese (full compound), blended with Summit MAP, at two target phosphate addition rates;
- Envirostream agglomerated MAP product 1, at two target phosphate addition rates; and
- Envirostream agglomerated MAP product 2, at two target phosphate addition rates.
The two Envirostream product options being used are both derived from its proprietary separation technology for single-use alkaline batteries, and any performance differences between these options will be assessed.
Seeding underway
Seeding at the dedicated Envirostream SA site is (between Port Wakefield and Port Broughton, towards the top of the Yorke Peninsula) was completed with wheat on 21 May 2021.
In WA, Summit has seeded several sites, with the remaining Envirostream sites, located West of Kojonup, scheduled for seeding in early June 2021.