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Electra Battery Materials which operates a hydrometallurgical battery recycling process north of Toronto in Ontario, Canada, has signed an MOU with the indigenous company Three Fires Group, to establish a joint venture for sourcing and pre-processing of lithium-ion battery scrap.
Under the joint venture, Electra and the Three Fires Group will collaborate to source and process lithium-ion battery waste generated by manufacturers of battery cells, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. The waste will be processed at a facility to be located in southern Ontario to produce black mass material that will be further refined using Electra’s hydrometallurgical process at its refinery complex north of Toronto to recover lithium, nickel, copper, manganese, and graphite.
Technology will be sourced from external suppliers and the companies will under the MOU work to specify the requirements and identify appropriate technology.
Electra Battery Materials is in fact the first company in North America to operate a hydrometallurgical process. Currently the company is recovering a mixed hydroxide precipitate which is sold to Glencore for further recovery as well as lithium carbonate.
The companies did not share any information on capacity for the new plant.
More information here.