The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Voltabox looks at RecycLiCo process for industrial batteries Metal Tech News Weekly Edition – April 15, 2020
High purity nickel-cobalt hydroxide produced from the cathodes of lithium-ion batteries using RecycLiCo, a patented process being developed by American Manganese.
Voltabox manufactures lithium-ion battery systems for electric buses, mining and construction equipment, agricultural machinery, forklifts and other industrial applications.
American Manganese Inc. and Voltabox of Texas Inc. are in talks to utilize American Manganese's patented process to recycle the cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries produced by Voltabox.
Voltabox manufactures lithium-ion battery systems for industrial applications such as electric buses, mining and construction equipment, agricultural machinery forklifts, and other warehouse equipment.
Looking beyond the service life of the industrial batteries it produces, Voltabox has entered into a memorandum of understanding to utilize American Manganese's RecycLiCo process, a recycling solution that can recover nearly 100% of the lithium, nickel, manganese, cobalt, and aluminum from battery cathodes.
"American Manganese is proud to be recognized as an advanced battery recycling solution by a pioneer in sustainable mobility and we can appreciate their concern to find the best recycling solution for their end-of-life battery system," said American Manganese CEO Larry Reaugh.
RecycLiCo is considered a potentially more sustainable and efficient process for recycling lithium-ion batteries than the traditional high-heat smelters.
"Voltabox is focused on managing the total lifecycle of our lithium-ion programs from initial manufacturing through second-use applications and eventually to end of life. A key part of this approach is the responsible disposal of spent battery cells, modules, and systems," said Voltabox of Texas CEO Sam Olson. "We look forward to working with American Manganese to ensure the proper recycling of our lithium-ion components that have reached the end of their service life."
The RecycLiCo process is still in the early stages of development and American Manganese is focused on constructing a 3-metric-ton-per-day commercial demonstration facility that will recycle cathode scrap from lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities.
Currently, cathode scrap recycling is needed most but as the lithium-ion battery market matures, especially with the growing electric vehicle market, the need for facilities that recycle the materials from spent batteries will be enormous.
According to MarketsandMarkets, a global markets research firm, the lithium-ion battery recycling market is expected to grow from an estimated US$1.5 billion in 2019 to US$12.2 billion in 2025 and US$18.1 billion by 2030.
Votabox and American Manganese are hoping to get out ahead of this trend with a sustainable solution for recycling cathode materials.
"Currently, legislation in North America does not demand a transparent and sustainable battery metal supply chain, so the duty to establish a recycling framework is on environmentally responsible companies like American Manganese and Voltabox," said Reaugh.
More information on lithium-ion battery recycling and the RecycLiCo process can be read at A new horizon for battery recycling in the Feb. 19 edition of Metal Tech News.
With more than 16 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration and technology metals.
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