Technology

  • Fife Aluminium Expands Production with New Glenrothes Facility

    BY Lara Browne
    Fife Aluminium and Metal Company, a specialist in architectural aluminium and metal products, has more than doubled its production space by relocating to Glenrothes. Founded in 2016 by Dale Robertson, the company has moved from its original location in Lochgelly to two new units within Queensway Business Park, significantly expanding its capabilities. The move comes...
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  • Li-Cycle and Glencore Finalize Off-Take Agreement for Rochester Hub Production

    BY Lara Browne
    Li-Cycle Holdings has strengthened its partnership with global commodities giant Glencore by finalizing a commercial agreement for the off-take of mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) produced at the Rochester Hub. This strategic deal ensures that Glencore will take 100% of the MHP output from the Rochester facility, which includes valuable metals like nickel and cobalt. The...
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  • Green Gravity Begins Studies for 2GWh Gravitational Energy Storage Project in Queensland

    BY John Davis
    Australian startup Green Gravity has initiated studies to develop a 2GWh gravitational energy storage project in Northwest Queensland. Located in Mount Isa in the Gulf Country region, the project will be developed in partnership with Mount Isa City Council and global mining company Glencore, with a focus on regional studies, mine site concept engineering, and...
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  • Development of Alkaline Membrane Electrolyzers Using Cost-Effective Catalyst

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    A collaborative team from the Technical University of Berlin, HZB, IMTEK (University of Freiburg), and Siemens Energy has developed an alkaline membrane electrolyzer that shows promise in approaching the performance of established proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. The electrolyzer uses cost-effective nickel compounds for the anode catalyst, replacing the traditionally costly and rare iridium. The team...
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  • KoBold Metals Invests $200 Million in AI-Driven Copper Mining Project in Zambia

    BY John Davis
    KoBold Metals has invested approximately $200 million in its Mingomba project in Chingola, Zambia, with production expected to begin in 2031. The project aims to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to produce over 300,000 tonnes of copper annually, contributing to Zambia’s national target of 3 million tonnes per year. CEO Mfikeyi Makayi highlighted that KoBold...
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  • Skapa Recycling and REDWAVE Boost Aluminium Recycling Efficiency with New Technology

    BY John Davis
    Skapa Recycling has partnered with technology firm REDWAVE to enhance aluminium recycling at its Eastern Austria facility. By utilizing advanced sorting technology, the partnership aims to maximize recycling efficiency and reduce environmental impact, addressing the increasing global need for sustainable resource management. Aluminium is unique in that it can be recycled indefinitely without losing quality....
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  • Cornish Lithium Launches Hard-Rock Demonstration Plant at Trelavour Pit

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Cornish Lithium officially launched its hard-rock lithium demonstration plant at Trelavour Pit near Treviscoe on Friday, October 18. The ceremonial opening, led by Lord Falmouth, was attended by dignitaries and members of the local business community, marking a significant milestone in Cornwall’s bid to become a key player in lithium production. The demonstration plant, under...
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  • Volt Lithium Successfully Produces Battery-Grade Lithium Carbonate from Permian Basin Operations

    BY Lars Jensen
    Volt Lithium has announced the successful production of battery-grade lithium carbonate from its field operations in the Permian Basin, West Texas. The development marks a major achievement for Volt as it positions itself as one of North America’s pioneering producers of lithium from oilfield brine. “Successfully producing battery-grade lithium carbonate from the Permian is another...
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  • Indonesia to Export Nickel Materials for Tesla EV Batteries Starting in November

    BY John Davis
    Indonesia plans to begin exporting nickel-based materials for electric car batteries to the United States in November, marking a significant step in the country’s expanding role in the global electric vehicle (EV) supply chain. Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia announced that these precursor materials for battery production would be supplied to Tesla, although details on the...
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  • Antapaccay Sees Boost in Copper Recovery with Flotation Cell Upgrade

    BY Lars Jensen
    Glencore’s Antapaccay copper mine in Peru has reported significant improvements in copper recovery after upgrading its flotation cells. The mine, which produces approximately 160,000 tonnes of copper concentrate annually, partnered with Metso to enhance its flotation circuit and address existing inefficiencies. The Antapaccay flotation circuit, commissioned in 2012 and expanded in 2019, faced challenges such...
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  • Indonesia and China’s CATL Announce $1.2 Billion Battery Joint Venture

    BY Lars Jensen
    Indonesia has announced a joint venture with China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) to invest $1.2 billion in battery production, furthering its ambitions to become a global hub for electric vehicles (EVs). The Chinese battery giant, through its subsidiary CBL International Development, has formed the venture with government-owned Indonesia Battery Corporation, according to Bloomberg. The project,...
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  • Fleet Space Accelerates Drill Targeting at Thomson’s Belt-Scale Gold and Copper Project

    BY Lara Browne
    Fleet Space Technologies has been engaged to accelerate drill targeting at Thomson’s belt-scale gold and copper project. This initiative involves a large-scale geophysical survey using ExoSphere real-time 3D Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) imaging across a 5,500 km² area. The survey aims to gather extensive 3D subsurface data to identify belt-scale geological structures, including cross-arc formations...
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  • Congolese Company Ships First Locally Processed Germanium to Belgium

    BY John Davis
    Société du Terril de Lubumbashi (STL), a 100% subsidiary of Générale des carrières et des mines (Gecamines), is set to export the first shipment of germanium concentrate processed entirely within the Democratic Republic of Congo. This milestone marks the first time germanium from the slag at the Lubumbashi Terril has been locally processed and exported,...
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  • Indonesia Launches First Lithium Iron Phosphate Factory Amid Ambitions to Become EV Hub

    BY Lars Jensen
    Indonesia has taken a significant step towards becoming an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing hub with the inauguration of its first lithium iron phosphate (LFP) factory earlier this month. However, analysts caution that the country’s heavy reliance on Chinese investment could pose challenges in marketing the cathode material to Western markets. Chinese companies, equipped with ample...
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  • Nippon Denkai Signs 7-Year Technical Support Deal with Hindalco

    BY Lars Jensen
    Nippon Denkai announced on September 30, 2024, that it has entered into a seven-year technical support agreement with India’s Hindalco Industries, a manufacturer of copper cathodes and copper rod materials. The agreement, signed on September 28, is intended to support Hindalco as it begins producing copper foil for lithium-ion batteries in India. Under the agreement,...
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  • Skoltech Scientists Develop Patented High-Stability Cathode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Researchers at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) have developed and patented a high-capacity cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, featuring enhanced stability and an efficient production method. The material, based on layered transition metal oxides with increased nickel content, is expected to extend battery life by about 10% compared to commercially available alternatives....
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  • Solar-Powered Device Developed for Lithium Harvesting with Lower Emissions

    BY Lars Jensen
    Researchers have developed a solar-powered device capable of extracting lithium from brines while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, offering a potential alternative for more sustainable lithium production—an essential resource for rechargeable batteries. The floating device, created by a team led by Baoxia Mi from the University of California, Berkeley, and Jia Zhu from Nanjing University, takes...
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  • FPX Nickel Completes Pilot-Scale Testwork, Produces Battery-Grade Nickel Sulphate

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    FPX Nickel has successfully completed pilot-scale hydrometallurgical refinery testwork, producing battery-grade nickel sulphate from its Baptiste Nickel Project. This development represents a significant step forward in demonstrating the technical feasibility of refining awaruite concentrate at the Baptiste site. The testwork campaign was partially funded by a grant from Natural Resources Canada under the Government of...
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  • Posco Future M Begins NCA Cathode Production Ahead of Schedule

    BY Lars Jensen
    South Korea-based Posco Future M has announced the production of nickel, cobalt, and aluminium (NCA) cathode materials at its Pohang factory, three months ahead of schedule. On October 12, the company successfully manufactured high-nickel materials with a nickel content of 88%, which enhances energy density and output, making them ideal for high-performance electric vehicle batteries....
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  • Savannah’s Partners Eye Portugal for New Lithium Refinery

    BY Lars Jensen
    Savannah’s partners in the Boticas lithium project, located in the Vila Real district, have set their sights on Portugal as a potential site for a new lithium refinery. AMG, the German company, recently opened a refinery in Germany, but its CEO has hinted at the possibility of establishing another refinery in Portugal. “Portugal has the...
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  • ENTISE Project to Develop Environmentally Friendly, Cost-Effective Sodium-Ion Batteries Kicks Off

    BY Lars Jensen
    The ENTISE project, focused on developing sodium-ion batteries for scalable industrial energy storage, has successfully commenced. Sodium-ion batteries are seen as a promising solution for a sustainable, resource-efficient future in energy storage. Sodium is not only inexpensive and abundant but also safe and easy to recycle. However, the challenge lies in translating this technology into...
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  • Vedanta Aluminium Becomes First Indian Smelter to Implement LME Passport

    BY Lars Jensen
    The London Metal Exchange (LME) has onboarded Vedanta Aluminium as the first smelter in India to successfully implement the LME Passport program. This milestone makes Vedanta Aluminium not only the first in the country but also the fifth primary aluminium producer globally to establish a direct digital connection for Certificates of Analysis (CoA) submission to...
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  • Posco Future M Begins NCA Cathode Production Ahead of Schedule

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    South Korea-based Posco Future M Co. has announced the production of nickel, cobalt, and aluminium (NCA) cathode materials at its Pohang factory, three months ahead of schedule. On October 12, the company successfully manufactured high-nickel materials with a nickel content of 88%, enhancing energy density and output, making them ideal for high-performance electric vehicle batteries....
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  • Aurubis Invests €16 Million to Boost Production and Efficiency at Stolberg Copper Rolling Mill

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Stolberg copper producer Aurubis has invested approximately €16 million in two new core units for its copper rolling mill in Stolberg. The Hamburg-based company aims to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions while increasing production capacity. With around 400 employees, Aurubis Stolberg specializes in producing high-precision copper and copper alloy strips and wires. The newly...
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