American Manganese Inc. (TSX-V:AMY, OTCQB:AMYZF) and its independent research and development contractor Kemetco Research Inc have told investors that equipment at its recycling demonstration plant in Greater Vancouver is ready for commissioning.
The Surrey, British Columbia-based critical metals company noted that the plant is designed to demonstrate the RecycLiCo process in continuous operating conditions that will enable it to run the complete process and provide input for commercial operation.
"The demonstration plant project is a pivotal and defining moment that will demonstrate the RecycLiCo process' ability to operate at real-world operating conditions and provide actionable feedback towards the design and development of commercial lithium-ion battery recycling-upcycling plants," the company’s president and CEO Larry Reaugh said in a statement. "We will be working with third parties to validate the demonstration plant's operating efficiencies and qualify large quantities of recycled-upcycled material to aid in the progression of strategic partnerships."
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American Manganese said it has received cathode scrap feedstock, with an NMC (lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide) chemistry, which is used in the latest generation electric vehicles. Once commissioned, the initial testing and operation of the demonstration plant system will commence with mechanical shredding of the cathode scrap and characterization of the feed material for hydrometallurgical processing.
It said the hydrometallurgical processing is scheduled to run continuously while simultaneously measuring data points to monitor and collect process efficiencies. The demonstration plant will include the following core unit operations at the planned cathode scrap processing capacity of 500 kilograms per day:
- Shredding of cathode scrap materials and separating the active cathode material from aluminum foils
- Leaching active cathode material (lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt) and removing impurities
- Producing a high purity mixed nickel-manganese-cobalt hydroxide and lithium carbonate
After the initial demonstration plant program, the company said it intends to continue additional operation testing of unit operations to produce upcycled materials for interested third parties. These unit operations will include the production of precursor cathode active material, lithium hydroxide, and lithium sulfate products to the desired specifications for lithium-ion battery re-manufacturing.
“The global push for sustainability, rising fossil fuel prices and supply chain instability have significantly influenced the demand and supply trends for battery metals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese,” the company said. “American Manganese continues to advance commercialization of its intellectual property to provide a sustainable supply of these critical materials.
American Manganese is focused on recycling and upcycling lithium-ion battery waste into high-value battery cathode materials, using its closed-loop RecycLiCo process.
With minimal processing steps and over 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.
Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com