battery recycling

Tesla effect attracts lithium-ion battery recycling firm to set up shop in north Nevada

Mineral extraction and battery recycling company American Battery Metals Corporation— which is changing its name to American Battery Technology Company— has chosen northern Nevada, US, for its lithium-ion battery recycling facility.

The company chose the location because of the proximity of Tesla's Gigafactory, established road and rail infrastructure, and access to a qualified labour pool.

Mineral

battery

American Battery Metals Corporation

American Battery Technology Company

Mining and battery recycling firm AMBC hires former Tesla chemical engineer

Mining and lithium-ion battery recycling technology firm American Battery Metals Corporation (ABMC) has hired former Tesla engineer August Meng as its principal chemical engineer.

Chemical engineer Meng specialises in the design and development of thermochemical conversion based systems throughout the renewable energy and lithium-ion battery sector.

Lithium-ion

battery recycling

American Battery Metals Corporation (ABMC)

Tesla

August Meng

chemical engineer.

Successful pilot paves way to lithium-ion recycling joint venture

Pilot plant test‐work on project development company Neometals’ proprietary lithium‐ion battery recycling technology has been successfully completed after 13 months.

The pilot, undertaken by SGS Canada, represents part of the pre‐development activities for a proposed commercial venture to recover materials from electric vehicle and consumer electronics lithium-ion cells.

Coronavirus forces French lead-acid battery recycler to scale-down operations

The coronavirus has forced Recylex is reduce operations at its French used lead-acid battery recycling plants to maintenance, reception and expedition of planned deliveries until further notice starting 23 March.

For the time being the French firms other battery recycling operations at its Germany plant Harz-Metall is unaffected. The plant collects and recycles around 50,000 tons of lead-acid batteries a year.

Fortum strengthens hold on materials supply chain with lithium-ion battery recycler buy-out

State-owned energy company Fortum is set to buy out fellow Finnish company Crisolteq as it looks to tighten its grip on the lithium-ion battery recycling market.

The buy-out the hydrometallurgical lithium-ion battery recycler was announced on 16 January and positions Fortum as a key player in the recovery of high value lithium-ion battery materials, including nickel and cobalt, in Europe.

Click HERE to read BEST’s dedicated battery recycling section in the latest edition of the magazine.

Lithium-ion battery recycling MoU between SMS Group and Neometals

Neometals has signed a memorandum of understanding with German firm SMS Group to jointly fund and evaluate research on a lithium-ion battery recycling technology.

SMS has exclusive due diligence period to test Neometal’s recycling technology, which will include the design, manufacture and operation of a two tonne per day demonstration-scale plant at SMS’ sites in Germany and Austria.

Industry calls for LIB deposit return scheme in Germany

A series of major fires at waste recycling facilities has led Germany’s lawmakers to investigate the introduction of a compulsory deposit return scheme for lithium-ion batteries.

The proposal, by Germany’s federal association for disposal, water and raw materials management (BDE), is initially focused on halting the disposal of batteries in discarded toys and electronic devices— but could include electric bikes and cars, BEST Battery Briefing(BBB) understands.

Industry warned on reputational risk from rogue battery recyclers

The lead battery industry has been praised for ramping up efforts to tackle rogue recyclers— whose illegitimate activities have been linked to rising death rates in nearly 60 countries.

The president of non-profit organisation Pure Earth, Richard Fuller, told the International Lead Association’s (ILA) Pb2019 conference in Madrid “informal recyclers” were a threat to human health and posed reputational risks for the legitimate lead industry.

international lead association

Investment booster for Pb recycling process in UK

Aurelius Environmental, which is pioneering a lead-acid battery recycling process in the UK, is to invest £1.5 million (US$1.9m) in advanced ‘green’ technology after securing a debt funding package.

Miles Freeman, CEO of Aurelius and former operations director of Ecobat Technologies, said the business would invest in machinery that “produces virtually zero waste— allowing us to provide a more sustainable and environmentally friendly process to the market”.

The announcement comes less than two years after Aurelius and research partner Cambridge University were awarded an EU grant of €1.3m ($1.5m) to develop ‘Fenixpb’— a hydrometallurgical process that produces lead oxide directly from spent batteries.

Aurelius Enviornmental

lead battery recycling

MIdlands Engine Investment Fund

Bullish Aqua Metals set for lead production boost

US lead-acid battery recycler Aqua Metals has told shareholders the company is on course for an estimated 25% increase in lead metal production after completing the first phase of a capital programme.

The company said the production increase would come from its first full production run of lead bullion from a newly commissioned third kettle— used to process the hard lead from the batteries it breaks.

A new filter press has also been installed and started up and a new centrifuge has been installed, Aqua Metals confirmed on 28 March.