Page 158 - CW E-Magazine (29-10-2024)

News from Abroad

MEGA INVESTMENT
Lyten plans $1-bn lithium-sulphur battery gigafactory

in US

Lyten, a US-based advanced mate-
rials start-up, has announced plans to
invest more than $1-bn to build the
“world’s first” lithium-sulphur battery
gigafactory. The facility will be located
near Reno, Nevada, and will have the
capability to produce up to 10-GWh of
batteries annually at full scale.

Lyten’s factory will manufacture
cathode active materials (CAM) and
lithium metal anodes and complete as-
sembly of lithium-sulphur battery cells
in both cylindrical and pouch formats.
Lyten, founded in 2015, has been manu- delivery services provider FedEx among Lyten’s cells are fully manufactured in
facturing CAM and lithium metal others, expects the first phase of the the US and utilise abundantly available
anodes and assembling batteries at its facility to come online in 2027. Reno local materials, eliminating the need for
semi-automated pilot facility in San in Nevada is also home to a Tesla giga- the mined minerals nickel, cobalt, man-
Jose, California, since May 2023. factory that produces battery packs and ganese, and graphite. According to Lyten,
other components for its EVs. the use of low cost, local materials will
“Lithium-sulphur is a leap in battery help make lithium-sulphur a lower cost
technology, delivering a high energy “Nevada is emerging as a key hub battery than lithium-ion at scale.
density, light weight battery built with for US battery manufacturing, and
abundantly available local materials and Lyten’s choice to build the world’s Lyten said it already has a “pipeline
100% US manufacturing,” stated Mr. first lithium-sulphur battery gigafactory of hundreds of potential customers”, and
Dan Cook, Lyten Co-Founder and CEO. here underscores the strategic advan- its lithium-sulphur batteries will begin
tages our state offers to leading tech catering to requirements of the micro-
With battery costs significantly im- companies,” said Nevada Governor, mobility, space, drone, and defence mar-
pacting electric vehicle (EV) prices, Mr. Joe Lombardo. kets in 2024 and 2025.
automakers are increasingly looking for
alternative technologies to make such Lyten said its lithium-sulphur cells The planned 1.25-million square foot
vehicles accessible to a wider market. feature high energy density, which will facility, located on a 125-acre campus in
enable up to 40% lighter weight than the Reno AirLogistics Park, initially will
Lyten, backed by companies like lithium-ion and 60% lighter weight than employ 200 people, growing to more than
auto giant Stellantis, Honeywell and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. 1,000 at full capacity.
Gecamines begins germanium exports to Europe

Democratic Republic of Congo’s state applications, Gecamines said in a statement. mines for the concentrates in May, helping
miner Gecamines said it will ship for the “This inaugural shipment of germanium the new plant, which processes waste
first time germanium concentrates to confirms our ambition, nurtured over seve- material from the tailings site, to ramp up
Europe from its Big Hill tailings dump. ral years, to make Congo a global hub for output. The agreement also helps Umicore
The concentrates, made in a new plant strategic metals,” Gecamines Chairman diversify its sources of supply for germa-
in the mining hub of Lubumbashi, will Mr. Robert Lukama said in the statement. nium, a rare mineral used in chipmaking,
be shipped to Umicore in Belgium for infrared technology, fibre optic cables and
further processing and use in high-tech Umicore signed a deal with Geca- solar cells.

158 Chemical Weekly October 29, 2024

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