EMR has acquired a stake in Australian-owned Renewable Metals, as part of a deal which will see a novel demonstration-scale battery shredding and critical minerals refining plant built in the UK.
European Metal Recycling (EMR) said Renewable Metals have developed a recycling process which can deliver higher recovery rates without producing sodium sulfate and is better suited to handling the variability in the chemistry of end-of-life Li-Ion batteries.
The two-stage process can yield LME-grade nickel and copper, as well as cobalt, lithium and manganese salts, from discharged battery modules, EMR said.
Luan Atkinson, CEO of Renewable Metals, commented: “We’re incredibly excited to have the opportunity to demonstrate the cost and environmental advantages of our technology at a larger scale, and looking forward to a future in the UK with EMR.”
As part of the “multi-million” deal, EMR said it will build a large demonstrator plant at its R&D complex in Birmingham, which is already permitted to handle end-of-life automotive battery packs.
This investment fits perfectly with EMR’s global strategy to deliver more sustainable materials for the UK and European automotive industry.
The facility will be able to process automotive, e-mobility (such as e-bikes and e-scooters), industrial, domestic and portable lithium-ion batteries, EMR said.
The new facility is due to be operational in the first half of 2025, subject to permitting approvals.
Commenting on the deal, Roger Morton, Managing Director for Technology, and Innovation at EMR, said: “The team behind Renewable Metals have a world-class reputation in this field developed over many years, so we are thrilled to be working together with them on this exciting project.
“Electric vehicle battery recycling is a challenge we are working extremely hard to deliver and that is exactly what we’re doing here. This investment fits perfectly with EMR’s global strategy to deliver more sustainable materials for the UK and European automotive industry.
“Renewable Metals’ technology is a highly cost-effective and scalable solution which fits into our broader long-term global strategy for this market, where we are actively developing multiple new collaborations.”
