Page 174 - CW E-Magazine (12-11-2024)

News from Abroad

OVERSEAS ASSETS
Posco completes lithium hydroxide plant in Argentina

South Korean industrial conglome-
rate, Posco Holdings, has announced
the completion of a 25-ktpa lithium
hydroxide plant in Guemes, Salta Pro-
vince of Argentina. The company held
a ceremony to mark the completion of
the plant, located at Hombre Muerto
Salt Pan, a salt lake in Salta Province,
on October 24.

Lithium hydroxide is used to pro-
duce cathode materials, which are es-
sential for production of secondary bat-
teries for EVs. The amount of 25-ktpa
is enough to produce batteries for about
600,000 EVs. The new plant boosts
Posco Holdings’ lithium hydroxide ing rights to Hombre Muerto Salt Pan ing a phase 2 plant to produce 25-ktpa
capacity to 46.5-ktpa. Posco Pilbara in Salta Province, and set up a wholly- of lithium from brine by investing
Lithium Solution’s plant at the Yulchon owned subsidiary, Posco Argentina. about 1-trillion won. It is planning
Industrial Complex in Gwangyang, South In 2022, the company invested about to complete the phase 2 plant in the
Jeolla Province, can produce 21.5-ktpa $830-mn to construct the plant for up- second half of 2025.
of lithium ore-based hydroxide. stream and downstream processes of
the first phase of a project to produce Posco Holdings is also planning to
The plant is the first of a three-phase lithium from brine. invest in a third phase plant with a capa-
project planned by Posco Holdings. In city of 50-ktpa in time to secure a total capa-
2018, Posco Holdings took over min- Moreover, Posco Holdings is build- city of 100-ktpa of lithium from brine.

ELECTRIC MOBILITY
Eni and Seri Industrial to create LFP battery supply

chain

Italian energy major, Eni, and Seri production line for active material to A 0.35-GWh pilot line, Teverola 1,
Industrial, a company operating in the input into the process, and a production is already in production. It works with
energy storage sector, are joining hands line for battery recycling, which will LFP soft pouch (50Ah) high energy
for the potential development of the support a similar plant being built by density applications with integrated
industrial chain for lithium-iron-phos- FIB, a Seri Industrial subsidiary, in the BMS.
phate (LFP) electrochemical batteries Italian province of Caserta.
for stationary energy storage (SES) and The overall plan, according to
industrial and commercial electric Seri subsidiary, FAAM, is con- Seri’s Executive Director, Mr. Marco
mobility. structing an 8-GWh battery production Civitillo, is to set up a new company
facility for prismatic LFP cells and that would oversee sourcing, sales
The Italian companies will explore batteries dedicated to SES, industrial and R&D for both gigafactories:
the possibility of setting up a joint ven- mobility, e-buses, and specialised applica- Teverola 2, currently under FAAM’s
ture company to build, at Eni’s Brindisi tions. It would also recycle 50 tonnes/ construction, and the proposed
(Italy) site, a SES production plant, a day of end-of-life batteries. Brindisi site.

174 Chemical Weekly November 12, 2024

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