American Manganese Inc. (TSX-V:AMY, OTCQB:AMYZF) has announced that the Japanese Patent Office has issued Patent No. 6906060, for the company's closed-loop lithium-ion battery upcycling process, RecycLiCo.
The Japanese patent joins already issued patents in the United States (US Patent No. 10246343 and US Patent No. 10308523) and South Korea (Patent No. 10-2246670). The company has also filed National Phase Patent Applications for China, Europe, Australia, India, and Canada.
"As we move towards our goal of commercialization, we are reminded by the foundation of patents that supported our growth in battery recycling and we are honoured to be issued another patent by a country that is one of the world leaders in battery innovation," said Larry Reaugh, president and CEO of American Manganese in a statement.
"Innovation is at the core of our company and as a pioneer in battery recycling we continue to monitor new lithium-ion battery technologies and opportunities," he added.
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The new patent provides coverage for American Manganese's novel closed-loop method for achieving up to 100% extraction of cobalt, nickel, manganese, aluminum, and lithium from the treatment of several cathode chemistries such as lithium-cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (NMC), and lithium-nickel-cobalt-aluminum oxide (NCA).
Most of the electric vehicle market uses NMC and NCA cathode chemistries, while LCO cathodes are used in smaller portable electronics.
Compared to traditional hydrometallurgical recycling processes, the company's patented closed-loop process offers advantages such as faster reaction rates, lower consumption of acids, improved water balance, and higher leaching efficiency.
American Manganese is a critical metals company focused on the upcycling of lithium-ion battery waste into high-value battery cathode materials, using its closed-loop RecycLiCo process. With minimal processing steps and up to 99% extraction of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese, the upcycling process creates valuable lithium-ion battery materials for direct integration into the re-manufacturing of new lithium-ion batteries.
The company's original patented manganese process is the cornerstone technology in the development of its lithium-ion battery cathode recycling process, RecycLiCo.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com