Page 164 - CW E-Magazine (17-12-2024)

News from Abroad

CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Altilium begins operations at its EV battery recycling

plant in UK

Altilium, a UK-based clean techno- operation, recovering over 95% of cathode
logy group, has begun processing of lithium- metals from waste EV batteries, in a for-
ion battery waste at its new ‘ACT 2’ mat that can be directly reused in battery
recycling facility in Plymouth, marking a manufacturing. Furthermore, electro-
significant milestone in the UK’s journey chemical testing of cells produced from
towards a circular economy for critical Altilium’s recycled CAM has shown
battery materials. comparable rate and cycle performance
with commercially available CAM
The facility, the first of its kind in the used in today’s high-nickel NMC 811
UK, marks the next phase of Altilium’s batteries.
scale-up strategy, leading to mega-scale
recycling at its planned ‘ACT 4’ plant in Altilium’s process begins with black
Teesside. Showcasing the company’s Eco- mass leaching, where the shredded bat-
Cathode process, it will be the only plant tery waste is dissolved in acid solutions
in the UK capable of producing large to extract key metals, including lithium,
volumes of battery grade salts, precursor nickel, cobalt, and manganese. These
cathode active materials (P-CAM) and critical materials are then separated and
cathode active materials (CAM) from chain. Dr. Christian Marston, President purified through solvent extraction, yield-
recycled EV battery waste. The 18,000 and COO of Altilium, commented, “This ing battery-grade compounds. Finally,
square foot facility has the capacity to is a proud moment for Altilium and a Altilium upcycles these recovered metals
process 300-kgs of black mass waste (the major milestone for the UK’s circular eco- into high-nickel P-CAM, which is further
equivalent of one EV battery) per day, nomy. ACT 2 is not only a demonstration synthesised into CAM – the most valu-
enabling production of high volumes of of our technological leadership but also of able component of a lithium-ion battery.
battery materials for qualification with our commitment to building a sustainable
automotive customers. This will include future. With ‘ACT 2’ starting processing, According to expert forecasts, the
high-nickel NMC811 CAM for production we are closer than ever to realising a UK will need over 150-ktpa of CAM by
of battery cells at the UK Battery Indus- domestic supply chain for EV battery mate- 2035, for the production of approximately
trialisation Centre (UKBIC), for validation rials, a critical component in achieving the 1.2-mn EVs annually. Altilium’s ‘ACT 4’
with a leading automotive OEM. UK’s industrial resilience.” plant will have the capacity to produce
30-ktpa of CAM, meeting 20% of that expec-
An independent lifecycle analysis The opening of the ‘ACT 2’ facility ted demand. The plant will also enable auto-
(LCA) has found that NMC532 cathode follows the successful demonstration motive OEMs to comply with stringent
produced using Altilium’s recycled mate- of Altilium’s proprietary technology at new EU battery regulations. By 2036, new
rials could be up to 74% lower in climate its ‘ACT 1’ site in Tavistock. The Eco EV batteries in the EU must include 12%
change impact compared to using primary Cathode process has been independently recycled lithium, 5% recycled nickel and
mined materials from a Chinese supply validated and proven in a scaled-up pilot 26% recycled cobalt.

PQ buys Sibelco’s speciality silicate business

in Sweden

PQ, a US-based producer of silicates, “Sibelco’s silicate business has a long markets such as mining, construction, and
silicas and derivative products, has agreed history of success in Sweden,” said Mr. pulp & paper. PQ has operated in the region
to acquire the speciality silicate business Al Beninati, CEO of PQ. “This acquisi- for over 70 years and looks forward to conti-
of the Sibelco Group currently operated tion allows PQ to expand our sodium and nuing to provide high-quality products as
in the Lödöse plant in Sweden. potassium silicate offerings to the Nordic part of this expanded portfolio,” he added.

164 Chemical Weekly December 17, 2024

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