PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Neometals has struck a joint venture (JV) deal with mechanical engineering firm SMS group GmbH to commercialise the company’s lithium battery recycling process.

The JV, dubbed Primobius GmbH, will use the Neometals recycling technology to recover lithium, nickel, cobalt and other materials from spent and scrap electric vehicle and consumer electronics.

A demonstration plant will be constructed at SMS’s manufacturing site in Germany to validate the process at industrial scale, marking the final step ahead of a decision to start the commercial-scale operation in Europe.

The demonstration plant would enable potential customers to generate battery materials and cathode chemicals from their own feedstock, and would generate process data to guide the design and operations of the first commercial facility, Neometals told shareholders.

“We have a clear path to commercialise this Australian technology, developed by our technical team in Perth, to meet the needs of the burgeoning European lithium battery and electric vehicle makers,” said Neometals MD Chris Reed.

“The entry of Primobius comes at a time marked by a major confluence of regulatory initiatives to stimulate the electric vehicle sector to decarbonize transportation, secure battery material supply chains and support circular economies generally. Our recycling solution plays strongly to this theme by offering responsible recovery and ethical battery material supply.

“It also lowers the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing and contributes broadly to the sustainability of the lithium battery materials supply chain.”

Commissioning of the demonstration plant is targeted for early 2021.