Page 168 - CW E-Magazine (9-7-2024)

News from Abroad

PRECIOUS METALS RECYCLING
Heraeus acquires Canadian recycling company,

McCol Metals

German diversified conglomerate, foils for batteries, water treatment and
Heraeus, has bolstered its precious met- electro-winning. Iridium plays a vital
als recycling portfolio with the acquisi- role as conducting and catalysing layer
tion of McCol Metals, a Canada-based that is applied on the electrodes to aid
company, is specialised in recovering the necessary reactions.
iridium from spent mixed metal oxide
electrodes. Until the acquisition, McCol Metals
has been owned by Eastern Composite
Heraeus acquired 100% of the com- Services (ECS), a Canadian provider of
pany, which will continue its operations Mr. Darrell Coombs, Vice-President specialised industrial services for the
in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. at McCol Metals, said by leveraging mining, marine, and energy sectors.
The site will be operated by Heraeus Heraeus expertise and global network, Due to its temperature and corrosion
Precious Metals, the precious metals McCol Metals can unlock unique syner- resistance, its conductivity and its cata-
division of the Heraeus Group. The gies that will enhance its recovery and lytic properties, iridium is in demand
company intends to accelerate McCol recycling solutions. for a wide variety of industrial applica-
Metals’ growth and support their tions. For example, it is indispensable
innovative approach with its own know- McCol Metals has developed a for the ramp-up of the green hydrogen
how. “McCol Metals is a perfect fit for state-of-the-art process to facilitate economy. Given their limited availabi-
Heraeus Precious Metals. With this the recovery and recycling of the valu- lity, high value and the high CO emis-
2
acquisition we are further expanding our able precious metal iridium from spent sions during extraction and processing,
leading competency in recycling pre- mixed metal oxide (MMO) electrodes. it is essential to keep precious metals
cious metals,” said Mr. Marius Vigener, MMO electrodes are used as anodes in such as iridium in the economic cycle
Executive Vice President at Heraeus electrochemical processes, for example and recover them from end-of-life
Precious Metals. in the production of chlorine, copper materials.

CHANGED MARKET
BASF decides against investment in nickel-cobalt

refining complex in Indonesia

BASF has announced that the com- supply options have evolved and with active materials, which may also ori-
pany will not further evaluate a poten- that BASF’s availability of battery grade ginate from Indonesia, remains crucial
tial investment in a nickel-cobalt refin- nickel. Consequently, BASF no longer for the future development of our bat-
ing complex in Weda Bay, Indonesia. sees the need to make such a sub- tery materials business,” said Dr. Daniel
In 2020, BASF and Eramet, a global stantial investment to ensure a resilient Schönfelder, President of BASF’s Cat-
mining and metallurgical group, had metals supply for its battery materials alysts division.
signed an agreement to jointly assess business,” explained Mr. Anup Kothari,
the potential of such a project. Member of the Board of Executive BASF said its battery materials busi-
Directors of BASF. The company will stop ness operates a dedicated sourcing team,
“After a thorough evaluation, we all ongoing evaluation and negotiation which focuses on metals and precursor
have concluded that we will not exe- activities for the project in Weda Bay. management as well as trading and has
cute the nickel-cobalt refining project already developed a network of partners
in Weda Bay. Since the inception of the “A secure, responsible and sustain- to ensure a resilient supply of critical
project, the global nickel market has able supply of critical raw materials for raw materials necessary for its growing
changed significantly. In particular, the the production of precursor cathode global cathode active materials business.

168 Chemical Weekly July 9, 2024

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