DS Dansuk opens 8,000 tonnes pre-processing plant in Gunsan, South Korea

The South Korea conglomerate DS Dansuk has inaugurated its first plant for pre-processing of lithium-ion batteries, in Gusnan, South Korea. The plant, built at the company's facility where it also operate lead-acid batter recycling plant.

The investment in the plant amounts to 8 billion won ($5.8M) which becomes another example of lower capital costs in Asian countries compared to pre-processing plants in Europe and North America which often require at least the double amount.

DS Dansuk which also is a large copper recycler, announced its plans to enter lithium-ion battery recycling in 2022. The company also aims to invest further downstream to produce both LFP cathode materials and NMC precursors. A material recovery plant for NMC is planned for 2025 and it is likely that a lithium recovery step will be added to the pre-processing plant before that to supply lithium to the company's planned LFP production.

In the coming expansion of DS Dansuk's battery recycling project likely locations will be in Southeast Asia. The company has already found a site in Hanoi, Vietnam and is also considering facilities in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.