Page 164 - CW E-Magazine (3-10-2023)

News from Abroad

CLOSING THE LOOP

Li-Cycle and Glencore accelerate operational plans

for European recycling hub

Li-Cycle Holdings Corp, a US-based
lithium-ion battery resource recovery
company, and Glencore International, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Glencore, a
producer, recycler, and marketer of nickel
and cobalt which is required for the pro-
duction of lithium-ion batteries, have an-
nounced plans for a two-phase approach
to the Portovesme Hub project in Sardinia,
Italy to expedite the production of
battery-grade lithium carbonate.
said Mr. Tim Johnston, Li-Cycle’s Exe- Germany, the largest Spoke in the compa-
The Phase of the project 1 is designed cutive Chair and co-founder. “Phase 1 ny’s portfolio and one of the largest facili-
to process up to 11,000 tonnes of black of the Portovesme Hub is expected to ties of its kind on the European continent.
mass annually and is expected to start come online at unprecedented speed and
operations in the first half of 2024, acce- to expedite the pathway to create the Phase 1 and Phase 2 will utilise exist-
lerating the recovery of lithium carbonate largest source of sustainable recycled ing infrastructure and equipment at Glen-
and strengthening Li-Cycle’s first-mover battery-grade products on the continent core’s existing Portovesme metallurgical
advantage in Europe. The Phase 1 pro- to support a circular lithium-ion battery complex and leverage Li-Cycle’s hydro-
ject is expected to produce up to 1,500 supply chain,” he added. metallurgical process to produce critical
tonnes of lithium carbonate, as well as up battery materials, including nickel, cobalt
to 3,000 tonnes of contained nickel and Mr. Kunal Sinha, Global Head of and lithium, from recycled battery
up to 500 tonnes of contained cobalt per Recycling for Glencore, added, “The content.
year. project, combined with our existing foot-
print in the primary supply, as well as Li-Cycle and Glencore anticipate
The previously announced Por- recycling of battery metals, is a core tenet forming a 50/50 joint venture for the Por-
tovesme Hub project plan (now “Phase 2”) of our ambition to become the circularity tovesme Hub, which also contemplates
remains the same. The company expects partner of choice with Li-Cycle for the competitive long-term financing from
the Phase 2 facility to have 50,000 to European battery and EV industry. Speci- Glencore to fund Li-Cycle’s share of the
70,000 tonnes of black mass processing fically, this multi-phase approach to the capital investment. For Phase 1, Li-Cycle
capacity, and to produce up to 16,500 development of the Hub allows us to start will provide technical expertise and over-
tonnes of lithium carbonate, as well as up to close the loop for battery materials in sight, with Portovesme and other techni-
to 18,000 tonnes of contained nickel and Europe as early as the first half of 2024, cal and operational experts from the wider
2,250 tonnes of contained cobalt per year. while we work towards designing and Glencore group directing the build and
Phase 2 is expected to be the final long- building Phase 2.” operation.
term plan and capacity for the facility.
The black mass processed at Phase 1 “The Definitive Feasibility Study for
The Portovesme Hub is being de- and Phase 2 is expected to be supplied Phase 2 is progressing well and is sche-
signed to be able to process all forms of from Li-Cycle’s European Spoke recy- duled to be completed by mid-2024. Sub-
lithium-ion based black mass, including cling network and Glencore’s commer- ject to a final investment decision and
lithium iron phosphate (LFP) materials. cial network. This strategic collaboration receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals,
“We are excited to accelerate our aims to support the creation of a local, the full-scale Phase 2 Portovesme Hub is
plans with Glencore to establish clean, closed-loop battery supply chain. Notably, expected to advance to construction and
post-processing refining capacity for Li-Cycle has recently commenced begin commissioning in late 2026 to early
recycled lithium-ion batteries in Europe,” operations at its first European Spoke in 2027,” the companies said.

164 Chemical Weekly October 3, 2023

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