This article was written by regular contributor Anton Crabbe. You can read his bio here
Neometals (ASX:NMT) wants to be a sustainable battery materials producer focused on circular economy principles.
NMT plan to execute this via mineral extraction (titanium & vanadium) and commercialisation of their lithium-ion battery recycling and lithium hydroxide production technologies. NMT has three business segments Lithium, Titanium/Vanadium, and Other.
Across these business segments NMT has entered into a number of joint ventures to assist it in commercialising its technology and owns 100% of its titanium project based in WA. A brief description of these projects and ownership structure from NMT’s March quarterly activity report release 28th April 2023, is as follows:
Lithium-ion Battery Recycling (Intellectual Property - NMT 50%, German owned SMS Group 50%) Commercialising via Primobius GmbH, a 50:50 incorporated JV with SMS group GmbH – to produce nickel, cobalt and lithium from production scrap and end-of-life lithium-ion batteries in an incorporated JV with leading global plant builder SMS group. The Primobius JV is operating a commercial disposal service at its 10tpd Shredding ‘Spoke’ in Germany and is the recycling technology partner to Mercedes Benz. Primobius’ first 50tpd operation, in partnership with Stelco in Canada, is expected to reach investment decision in Q4 2023;
Vanadium Recovery (NMT 100% Intellectual Property) NMT holds 72.5% equity in an Incorporated Joint Venture with Critical Metals Ltd – to produce high-purity vanadium pentoxide via processing of steelmaking by-product (“Slag”). Targeting a 300,000tpa operation in Pori, Finland, underpinned by a 10year Slag supply agreement with leading Scandinavian steelmaker SSAB. Finnish project investment decision with JV partner, Critical Metals, expected Q2 2023. MOU with H2Green Steel for up to 4Mt of Slag underpins a potential second operation in Boden, Sweden.
Lithium Chemicals (Intellectual Property held in Reed Advanced Materials PL – NMT 70%, Mineral Resources Ltd 30%) Reed Advanced Materials PL (“RAM”) Earning into 50:50 JV with Bondalti Chemicals SA – to produce battery quality lithium hydroxide from brine and/or hard-rock feedstocks using patented Eli™ electrolysis process owned by RAM (70% NMT, 30% Mineral Resources Ltd). Co-funding pilot plant and evaluation studies for a 25,000tpa operation in Estarreja with Portugal’s largest chemical producer, Bondalti Chemicals S.A.
Barrambie Titanium/Vanadium Project (Neometals 100%) The project is one of the largest vanadiferous-titanomagnetite (“VTM”) Mineral Resources globally (280.1Mt…
