Metals firm American Manganese has more than doubled the capacity of its pilot lithium-ion battery cathode recycling plant in the US through engineering upgrades.
The Canadian company raised capacity from 64 kg/day to 160 kg/day by adding thermal control of exothermic reactions that enable the plant to operate at higher pulp density.
The move has not hampered the plant’s ability to recovery cobalt, lithium, nickel, manganese, and aluminium, said the firm.
The company is now looking at increasing pulp density and processing capacity further.
The company’s contractor, Kemetco Research, recognized the opportunity to optimize the initial stages of the RecycLiCoTM process before the construction of AMY’s first commercial demonstration plant.
Larry Reaugh, President and CEO of American Manganese, said: “I’m impressed with the increase in production capacity that we have achieved with our pilot plant project because at 160 kg/day we are advancing towards commercial recycling potential.
“Although the pilot plant will not be used for commercial production, it gives me confidence in our ability to scale up to our planned commercial processing capacity of 3 tonnes/day.”
American Manganese has expressed interest in commercialization via licensing or joint venture agreements and plans to locate the recycling plant in a strategic location within North America, where it will prepare recycled products suitable for battery manufacturing.