Supply chain risks grow as demand for EV battery materials increase: analysts
October 30, 2024
by CM Staff
Battery X says that their partnership with a university has made strides in process design through lab-scale trials, demonstrating that multi-stage flotation achieves more efficient material separation than single-stage methods.
VANCOUVER — The Battery Advocacy for Technology Transformation Coalition, a new group of battery material producers, is pressing U.S. lawmakers to revise the 2022 climate law, aiming to close loopholes that foreign entities could use to profit from. This call comes amid broader concerns from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which warns that falling mineral prices may disguise risks of future scarcity in essential battery materials like lithium, copper, cobalt, nickel, and graphite.
Battery X Metals, Inc., a clean energy technology and exploration company, focused on developing proprietary technologies to extend the lifespan of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, recently announced advancements by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Battery X Recycling Technologies Inc., in developing eco-friendly lithium-ion battery-grade material recovery technology. These advancements are in collaboration with a Global Top 20 University as part of an ongoing research partnership.
The company says that the partnership has led to promising results in optimizing battery-grade graphite recovery from lithium-ion battery black mass using Battery X’s proprietary froth flotation process. These trials have been involved in refining the technology to recover battery-grade materials such as graphite, lithium, nickel, and cobalt from black mass, advancing both technological development and process design.
“Our progress in developing proprietary eco-friendly technology is a significant step forward in sustainable battery recycling, particularly by addressing graphite recovery, which is often overlooked in conventional methods,” said Massimo Bellini Bressi, CEO of Battery X Metals. “The positive preliminary results from our collaboration with a Global Top 20 University highlights our potential to meet the increasing demand for battery materials in a sustainable way. We look forward to advancing this partnership, validating our technology, applying for provisional patents, and ultimately exploring strategic opportunities to license our technology to industry partners.”
Battery X says that their partnership with a university has made strides in process design through lab-scale trials, demonstrating that multi-stage flotation achieves more efficient material separation than single-stage methods. Trials incorporated varied reagent dosages to stabilize froth formation, maximize graphite yield, and manage oxide and phosphate separation in specific stages. Ongoing R&D efforts focus on consistent trial results that align with industry metrics, providing a solid foundation for future potential scalability.
