A successful black mass recycling trial was reported in March 2023, by Electra Battery Materials Corporation at its refinery north of Toronto. In a plant-scale setting, the company has created a technical-grade lithium carbonate product and recovered lithium, a vital mineral needed for the supply chain for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. This accomplishment supports Electra's unique hydrometallurgical method and current commissioning efforts for its larger refinery complex. Here’s the complete story.
Significance of Black Mass Recycling
The black mass is a transitional mixture of elements obtained following the crushing of end-of-life batteries or battery production waste during the recycling or recovery process of batteries, potentially containing pollutants. Moreover, the initial stage of battery recycling is the creation of black mass, which is rich in lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, the primary metals used to create cathode active materials. Battery recycling is considered one of the best strategies for maximizing resource utilization in the battery sector.
After being recovered, these materials can be recycled to make fresh lithium-ion batteries. Long-standing North American battery recyclers have concentrated on gathering and shredding batteries, with the resulting black mass material mainly treated by a pyrometallurgical smelting process. In contrast to hydrometallurgical processes, this method yields fewer metals and has a larger carbon footprint.
In the past few years, prices of black mass recycling have surged recently and are expected to continue to rise for the foreseeable future, increasing the strain on manufacturers' procurement costs. This has been brought on by a growth in the usage of the priciest battery metals in the world, i.e., copper, steel, lithium, nickel, and cobalt. Therefore, the market for these batteries is anticipated to expand rapidly as electric vehicles gain popularity, which will also fuel the expansion of the black mass market for recycling.
According to the BIS Research analysis, the global black mass recycling market is projected to reach $52.99 billion by 2031 from $9.22 billion in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 21.45% during the forecast period 2022-2031.
Electra's Black Mass Recycling Trial
In December 2022, Electra began operating its black mass demonstration plant. Since then, it has processed material in a batch manner and extracted lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, copper, and graphite with success. Due to preliminary results so far and interest shown by potential business partners, the firm has chosen to extend its black mass processing and recovery activities through June 2023, beyond its initial target of 75 tonnes. In the upcoming weeks, the overall volume of material that needs to be processed and recovered through June will be determined. Electra has located a number of potential sources of supply and its negotiating terms and conditions with suppliers.
Importance of Recovering Lithium
For Electra and the North American electric vehicle supply network, the recovery of lithium from black mass has the potential to be a game-changer. Hydrometallurgyical recycling of lithium from old batteries reduces the carbon footprint of creating electric vehicles and serves as a major source of supply for lithium-ion battery commodities, whose demand is anticipated to rise sharply in the upcoming years. Giving another high-value product to the market significantly improves the economics of Electra's battery recycling strategy. Given the high demand for essential minerals and the impending supply deficit of metals like nickel and cobalt, recycling black mass will progressively play a significant role in the EV battery supply chain.
Conclusion
Electra's successful black mass recycling trial is a significant achievement for the company and the EV battery supply chain. Recovering lithium from black mass represents a potential game changer and considerably strengthens the economics of its battery recycling strategy. Recycling black mass is expected to become a key feature of the EV battery supply chain as demand for critical minerals increases, and the supply of metals such as nickel and cobalt faces a looming deficit. Electra's efforts to commercialize its process with industry partners will be crucial in establishing a sustainable and low-carbon supply chain for the EV industry.
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