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Our process to recover lithium in the UK
There are 3 distinct processes to creating a truly circular battery economy. We aim to input depleted batteries and output cathode and anode materials, keeping the miles minerals travel to a minimum and taking the UK from a spectator to a player in the growing Li-Ion industry.
01
Recycle
The initial stage of our process involved whole batteries being mechanically shredded and separated into key components - plastic, copper, aluminium and 'black mass'. The black mass is a powder of key elements ready for refining, including lithium, manganese, cobalt and nickel. Our innovative process ensures that these batteries are processed in an environmentally friendly manner, whilst preparing valuable materials for reuse.
02
Refine
This is where we implement a uniquely green approach. We are pursuing a completely new, AI driven approach to material preparation and leaching. The current standard technique is hydrometallurgical. Hydrometallurgical refining uses aggressive chemicals, that are both hard to dispose of and harmful to the environment, to refine black mass into individual precious metals.
Another failing of hydrometallurgy is that up to 20% of Li-ions are extracted simultaneously with Cobalt, Nickel & Manganese ions, resulting in significant waste after a complex process
We see the best option is to work with the intrinsic characteristics of the precious metals and innovate for the future.
03
Re-Manufacture
The final stage is to utilise the recovered elements and re-produce the cathode and anode materials, fully manufactured in-house using our recycled materials to produce rolls of battery ready materials. This initiative is a testament to our commitment to reducing waste and promoting sustainability, by ceasing the cycle of shipping materials around the world for each individual process. In fact, recycled and refined minerals are better performing than first time use as each time they're refined they become purer, much like running water through a filter 10 times.