A few questions remain unanswered though: What can the current plant already do? It sounds like a multi-day sequential process per batch. How many batteries could that give?
The mixed metal product also contains nickel-manganese-cobalt. But certainly with a lot of other stuff and not in the exact ratio you would put in a battery. Even if we were to continoue with NMC batteries (LFPs are more common today). It looks like a first concentration step to get the interesting 10% of the rock. What separation process still remains? I expect a concentrate still to be much more useful than bare rock.
What are the overall economics? I understand that you won't need the separate mining as Olivine is considered waste and has already been piled up. But is that an economic benefit? (cheaper?) Environmental? Or time to market? (you don't need another mining permission for more capacity).
Is it just a more green but more expensive extraction from unused Olivine? Or will this replace all other dirty extractions mining soon? (too good to be true)
Selenium and Cobalt come from Copper mining
Indium Germanium and Gallium come from Zinc mining
Nb Nd Pr Sd come from Iron mining
Yt Nd etc come from Bauxite and Phosphate mining
There are other places you can get these metals, but they aren't economically viable. Building an infrastructure for cleanly and reliably processing them in volume is clearly important though.
Poor implemenation, poor quality control, complacency and the lack of educated personnel all contribute to this.
Meanwhile, the technology is studied, improved and transferred by enterprising Chinese and soon becomes a billion dollar company in Guangdong.
bruce511•4h ago
I'm becoming somewhat (although not completely) cynical in a "devil is in the details" kinda way.
It seems we see a lot of hype which either fizzles out, or never seems to make it all the way.
This one us at the pilot plant stage, so at least made it out the lab. I hope it makes it all the way to full size production.
bawolff•2h ago