30
July 2024
Neometals
Ltd
("Neometals" or "the
Company")
Quarterly Activities
Report
For the quarter ended 30 June
2024
Highlights
CORPORATE
· Cash
balance of $9.8 million: Investments, receivables and inventories
of $15.5 million and no debt.
OPERATIONS
Lithium-ion Battery Recycling (50% NMT via Primobius GmbH, an
incorporated JV with SMS group GmbH)
· Primobius continued construction of an integrated 2,500tpa
lithium-ion battery ("LiB")
recycling facility for Mercedes-Benz at Kuppenheim, Germany;
and
· Installation of Stage 1 shredding 'Spoke' section of Mercedes Pilot Plant
materially complete.
PRE-COMMERCIAL
TECHNOLOGIES
Lithium Chemicals (70% NMT, 30% Mineral Resources Ltd via Reed
Advanced Materials Pty Ltd ("RAM"))
· The
patented ELi Process has the potential to deliver users a
step-change in the cost to convert lithium brines to lithium
hydroxide or carbonate through electrolysis rather than chemical
precipitation; and
· Commenced the long-duration (1,000hr) pilot-scale electrolysis
trials on natural South American brine to increase confidence in
power consumption, membrane life and lithium product quality
assumptions to support ongoing commercial partner selection and
technology licensing activities.
Vanadium Recovery (100% NMT via Avanti Materials
Ltd)
· The
patent-pending Vanadium Recovery Process has the potential to
produce high-purity, low-cost vanadium from the recycling of steel
slag by-products which practically eliminates carbon footprint;
and
· Assisting first commercial project vehicle, RISAB (88% NMT) to
procure external funding to support a new equity financing process
and advance technology licensing activities.
RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
· Secured an option to acquire 80% of a private US company
developing a hydrometallurgical process to selectively recover
precious metals from industrial waste streams; and
· Commenced second phase of trials testing preferred feedstock,
reagent regime and recovery techniques identified in first phase of
trials, with completion and results expected in August
2024.
UPSTREAM MINERAL
PROJECTS
Barrambie Titanium and Vanadium ("Barrambie") (100%
NMT)
· Commenced preparation of an Exploration Target for gold in
parallel with preparations for asset divestment.
Company
Overview
Neometals facilitates sustainable
critical material supply chains and reduces the environmental
burden of traditional mining in the global transition to a circular
economy.
The Company is commercialising a
portfolio of sustainable processing solutions that recycle and
recover critical materials from high-value waste
streams.
Neometals' core focus is on the
commercialisation of its patented, Lithium-ion Battery ("LiB")
Recycling technology (50% NMT), under a plant supply and technology
licensing business model. Primobius GmbH is the 50:50
incorporated JV with 150-year-old German plant builder, SMS group
GmbH, that is commercialising the technology. Primobius is building
a 2,500tpa recycling plant for Mercedes-Benz under a long-term
Cooperation Agreement. It also operates its own LiB disposal
service in Germany and plans to offer its first commercial
21,000tpa plant to North American licensee, Stelco, in JunQ
2025.
Neometals is also developing two
advanced battery materials technologies for commercialisation under
low-risk, low-capex technology licensing business
models:
· Lithium Chemicals (70%
NMT) - Patented ELi™ electrolysis
process, co-owned 30% by Mineral Resources Ltd, to produce battery
quality lithium hydroxide from brine and/or hard-rock feedstocks at
lowest quartile operating costs. Pilot scale test work and
Engineering Cost Study update planned for completion in DecQ 2024;
and
· Vanadium Recovery (100%
NMT) - Patent pending
hydrometallurgical process to produce high-purity vanadium
pentoxide from steelmaking by-product ("Slag") at lowest-quartile operating
cost and carbon footprint.
![A screenshot of a video game Description automatically generated](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/5e3ef63b-fdb1-4124-bf0a-7669de1d0abe.png)
Figure 1 -
Neometals'
Technology Projects and Technology Readiness Level
Commercialisation System.
OPERATIONS
![Logo, icon Description automatically generated](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/250a9afc-3eca-446d-be95-ebfadf3c810b.png)
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Lithium-ion Battery
Recycling
(Intellectual Property via ACN 630
589 507 Pty Ltd - NMT 50%, SMS
50%)
(Plant construction via Primobius GmbH, NMT 50% SMS group GmbH
50%)
|
Primobius GmbH ("Primobius") is the incorporated joint
venture established in 2020 to commercialise Neometals' lithium-ion
battery ("LiB") recycling technology ("LiB Recycling Technology"). The
co-owner is SMS group GmbH, a 150-year old German plant builder,
with in excess of 14,000 employees globally and fabrication
facilities in Europe, USA, India and China.
Primobius was granted an exclusive
licence from Neometals' LiB Recycling Technology holding company,
ACN 630 589 507 Pty Ltd ("ACN 630") to supply LiB recycling plants
incorporating the patented flowsheet. Primobius will pay royalties
to ACN 630 where it operates as principal and will also pass
through royalties from plant supply and technology licensing
arrangements. ACN 630 is the ultimate beneficiary of five
third party technology licences issued to date. The structure is
designed to flow plant supply margin and technology royalties
separately to co-owners.
![A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/5599df25-829e-43c7-b8ca-3b07f4085841.png)
Figure 2 - Technology royalty and plant supply margins flow
chart.
Intellectual Property and Status
The LiB Recycling Technology recovers
materials contained in LiB production scrap and end-of-life cells
that might otherwise be disposed of in land fill. Current LiB
recycling processes predominantly rely on high carbon emission
pyrometallurgical processes. Primobius' two stage process recovers
nickel, cobalt, lithium and manganese battery materials (and
physically recovers metals and plastics) into saleable products
that can be reused in the LiB supply chain. The LiB Recycling
Technology prioritises maximum safety, environmental sustainability
and product recoveries to support the circular economy and
decarbonisation.
During the quarter, ACN 630 was
granted an additional national phase patent in Indonesia. Five (5)
patents have now been granted with twelve (12) other national phase
patents at various stages of prosecution globally.
![A diagram of a diagram of a machine Description automatically generated with medium confidence](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/170a1b70-d8ed-4f3e-822d-91ae77aa3a0a.png)
Figure 3 - High level flowsheet showing the movement of
materials from Shredding and Beneficiation
('Spoke') through to
refining ('Hub') stages for
the LiB Recycling Technology.
Commercialisation Status
The LiB Recycling Technology is at
Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8: Industrial
Validation.
Primobius / ACN 630's current
business model is targeting revenue from:
1. Gate fees and product
sales from its LiB Disposal Operation in Hilchenbach,
Germany;
2. Mechanical equipment
and plant supply agreements (e.g. Mercedes-Benz Plant);
and
3. Royalties from the
sale of products from future commercial plant supply
agreements.
Hilchenbach Disposal
Operation
Primobius upgraded the Spoke section
of its demonstration plant in Hilchenbach, Germany ("Hilchenbach Spoke") to provide a
commercial LiB disposal service to the German EV and lithium
battery supply chain. Primobius receives a gate fee to accept
batteries for disposal. The Hilchenbach Spoke produces an
intermediate mixed nickel/cobalt product ("Black Mass") and a mixed
copper/aluminium product ("Black Copper") which are sold on a spot
basis with pricing set according to nickel/cobalt and copper
content respectively.
During the quarter the Primobius
Board approved an investment in equipment to increase throughput to
its approved limit of 9 tonnes per day. This will require the
hydromet refinery to be decommissioned and stored for future
utilisation to provide sufficient space for additional
equipment.
Mechanical Equipment and Plant
Supply
Primobius entered into a Co-operation
Agreement with Mercedes-Benz ("Mercedes") ("Mercedes Cooperation") in March 2022.
Under the Mercedes Cooperation, Primobius entered into a five
(5)-year research collaboration aimed at jointly developing an
industrial-scale solution for Mercedes[1]. Primobius accepted purchase orders
from Mercedes for the Spoke section of the plant in August 2023 and
the Hub section in January 2024.
During the quarter, Primobius
continued the installation of the Spoke to practical completion and
the fabrication of the Hub section of the Mercedes Pilot
Plant.
![A collage of a building Description automatically generated](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/4bdf909c-6cbd-4056-b559-014f943f7112.jpg)
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![Text Box: Figure 4 – Mercedes-Benz LiB Recycling Building, Kuppenheim Germany.](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/b4a5ef11-49a4-45f1-a90b-c33dbfa756c4.png) |
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|
Figure 5
- Part of the Integrated
LiB Plant installed by Primobius.
|
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Technology
Licensing
· Technology licensing and joint venture option agreements are
in place with a subsidiary of Stelco Inc. ("Stelco") ("Stelco Agreements"). The Stelco
Agreements allow Primobius to acquire a 25-50% equity interest in
the technology licensee at any time up to 30 June
2025[2].
· Three
(3) exclusive licences have been issued for Scandinavia, the
Balkans and Italy and one non-exclusive licence to the UK.
Neometals is the largest individual shareholder in the licensees
and ACN 630 is entitled to receive a 10% gross revenue royalty from
the technology licences.
Commercial
· Primobius signed a MoU with NEO Mobility Asia Company Ltd
("Neo Mobility"), for the
potential supply of battery recycling equipment and services. NEO
Mobility is a joint venture of MGC-Asia Green Tech Company Limited,
an affiliate of Millennium Group Corporation (Asia) Public Company
Limited ("MGC") and Arun
Plus Mobility Holding Company Limited, an affiliate of PTT Public
Company Limited ("PTT").
· Through Neo Mobility, MGC and PTT are aiming to build up an
ecosystem that also includes battery recycling in Southeast Asia
and are seeking to collaborate with Primobius as the technology
provider.
Corporate
· Continued recruitment activities to expand the Primobius
technical, operational, commercial and management teams in line
with corporate milestones associated with offering mechanical plant
and equipment package supply contracts.
PRE-COMMERCIAL
TECHNOLOGIES
![A green and black circle with a lightning bolt and a white text Description automatically generated](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/b2186427-a826-4cc7-ac0f-d313a325359b.png)
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Lithium
Chemicals
(Intellectual Property via Reed Advanced Materials Pty Ltd ("RAM")
- NMT 70%, Mineral Resources Ltd 30%)
|
RAM is an incorporated joint venture
commercialising the patented ELi™ Process ("ELi™") which produces lithium hydroxide
and carbonate from lithium chloride solutions using electrolysis. RAM has
successfully converted lithium chloride solutions from both natural
spodumene and brine feedstocks into battery quality lithium
hydroxide at semi-pilot scale. ELi™ has the flexibility to produce
lithium hydroxide and/or lithium carbonate at potentially
significantly lower operating cost and carbon footprint compared to
conventional production processes. ELi's key economic advantage
lies in the potential to replace costly, imported bulk chemical
reagents with electricity and low-cost internally generated
reagents.
Intellectual Property Status
RAM now holds nineteen (19) granted
patents in hard rock and brine producing countries and has a
further fourteen (14) pending national phase patents at various
stages of prosecution globally.
![A diagram of a chemical reaction Description automatically generated](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/30d5f283-365c-487a-8bf4-4f458a3587a9.png)
Figure 6 - Schematic showing a
comparison of the conventional flowsheet for
the production of lithium hydroxide from brines with the patented
Eli™ process.
Commercialisation Status
The ELi Process is at TRL 6: Batch
Pilot. RAM's current business model is to generate royalties from
licensing the ELi Process to lithium brine and hard-rock operators,
developers and processing equipment suppliers.
RAM is completing pilot scale trials
on a natural brine provided by the owners of an operating South
American lithium operation. RAM
successfully concluded the first stage purification trials in 2023.
This quarter RAM completed the second stage electrolysis of the
purified lithium chloride. The final stage of the trials will
evaporate and crystallise the lithium hydroxide catholyte solution
produced in the electrolysis trials into lithium hydroxide
monohydrate, for assessment and evaluation by LiB cathode
producers.
Technical
· The
long-duration (1000hr) electrolysis component of the ELi™ Pilot was
undertaken in the USA at the Electrosynthesis Company Inc, the
associated testing facility of RAM's proposed electrolyser vendor,
NORAM. The electrolysis campaign will provide data to increase
confidence in the expected power consumption, membrane performance
and product quality assumptions in the 2023 Engineering Cost
Study.
· The
results are expected in the September quarter and will be
incorporated into a review of the 2023 Engineering Cost Study
("ECS Review").
Commercial
· RAM
will use the results of the ELi Pilot and the ECS Review to advance
its commercial partner selection and technology licensing
activities; and
· RAM is
funded to complete the aforementioned activities planned for
completion in December 2024.
![Icon Description automatically generated](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/ebec445e-c2c9-43a4-9523-31ae72054797.png)
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Vanadium
Recovery
(Intellectual Property via Avanti Materials Ltd -
NMT 100%)
Vanadium Recovery Project 1 via
Recycling Industries Scandinavia AB ("RISAB") - 88% NMT
|
Neometals has developed a proprietary
sustainable vanadium recovery process ("VRP Technology") that produces vanadium
products for battery and aerospace alloying applications from
stockpiles of vanadium-bearing steel making waste. The VRP
Technology offers:
A processing flowsheet utilising
conventional equipment at atmospheric pressure, mild temperatures,
and non-exotic construction materials; and
Potential lowest-quartile operating
costs[3] and
carbon-footprint from processing steelmaking waste ("Slag"), eliminating the cost, risks and
environmental impact of mined upstream feedstocks.
Intellectual Property Status
Neometals' Vanadium Recovery IP
holding company, Avanti Materials Ltd, has eighteen (18) pending
national phase patents for the VRP Technology across two patent
families, with two patents at examination stage.
Commercialisation Status
The VRP Process is at TRL 6:
Continuous Pilot. The current business model is to generate
royalties from licensing the VRP Process to steel slag
producers.
Vanadium Recovery Project 1
("VRP1") - Finland
RISAB was incorporated to evaluate
the feasibility of recovering high-purity vanadium pentoxide
("V2O5") from high-grade vanadium-bearing
steel Slag in Scandinavia. In March 2023, Neometals announced the
results of a feasibility study that confirmed the potential for lowest-quartile operating costs
with a low-to-negative carbon
footprint3. In the ensuing 6 months the vanadium price
fell more than 50% and equity financing could not be secured.
Neometals advised the market in October 2023 that it could not
commit to a positive final investment decision on VRP1 and would
pursue commercialisation through a technology licensing business
model.
Technical
No technical activity was undertaken
during the quarter.
Commercial
During the quarter, Neometals
assisted RISAB to explore value realisation options and advanced
discussions with potential licensees of the VRP Technology. More
specifically:
· RISAB
applied for grant funding from EIT RawMaterials GmbH, which is
co-funded by the European Union, to advance Europe's transition
into a sustainable economy. The application under the 'Booster 2024
Program' will enable a new equity financing process to be managed
by leading Nordic bank, SEB. New financiers for the equity required
to execute the project will become the majority equity holders of
RISAB.
· RISAB
entered a non-binding MoU with a German Steel maker Salzgitter AG
regarding collaboration towards potential future arrangements for
the supply of Slag.
Corporate
During the quarter Neometals
increased its equity in RISAB from 72.5% to 88% by subscribing for
new shares.
RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
![A logo with gold bars in a circle Description automatically generated](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/2bcae25c-cbd2-49c3-96ca-86b75c29f86e.png)
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Precious Metals
Recovery Option to acquire 80%
Precious Metals Recovery, LLC ("PMR")
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Neometals is evaluating the
acquisition of a majority stake in a proprietary precious recovery
process ("PMR Technology")
and associated processing plant ("PMR Pilot") that potentially recovers
previous metals from industrial waste streams.
The opportunity to acquire an
advanced, TRL 5: Batch Pilot, technology with potential to scale
and generate positive cashflow from hedge-able commodities
uncorrelated with battery materials whilst keeping with a focus on
recycling/recovery of high-value waste streams, is
attractive.
The PMR option structure and term
allows Neometals' technical team to complete its due diligence on
PMR and its business (including the PMR Technology). The PMR Pilot
is located in Colorado, USA and represents the culmination of
nearly two years of research and development activities and can
process batches up to 250 kilograms in size. The pilot plant is
designed to process 2 tonnes per day and is currently capable of
processing 0.5 tonnes per day. Industrial waste feedstocks are
purchased from third parties on an as required basis
During the quarter, the Neometals
technical team completed the first and second phases of a
metallurgical test work program. The first phase tested multiple
feed sources with varying reagent and final product recovery
regimes. Approximately 4.28 tonnes from two purchased feedstocks
were processed in 10 campaigns totalling 24 batches of 120-245
kilograms. There was significant variability of recovered metal.
However, the results were sufficiently encouraging to proceed with
a second test work program to confirm the repeatability of the most
successful feedstock/reagent/recovery regimes. The leaching and
primary recovery stage of the program was completed during the
quarter with the final recovery through external refining
outstanding. Final refinery outturns are expected, and results will
be reported prior to the option expiry date of 31 August
2024.
UPSTREAM MINING
PROJECTS
![Logo, icon Description automatically generated](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/e3f99020-d088-47c7-95c9-b375064bb03c.png)
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Barrambie Titanium/Vanadium
Project (Neometals 100%)
|
Barrambie, located approximately 80km
north-west of Sandstone in Western Australia ("WA"), is one of the largest
vanadiferous titanomagnetite ("VTM") Mineral Resources globally
(280.1Mt at 9.18% TiO2 and 0.44%
V2O5), containing the world's second
highest-grade hard rock titanium Mineral Resource (53.6Mt at 21.17%
TiO2 and 0.63% V2O5). The Mineral
Resource is secured under a granted mining lease and has a granted
mining proposal to extract approximately 1.2Mtpa of
mineralisation.
Activity Summary
During the quarter the following
activities were undertaken to support the divestment of
Barrambie:
Technical
· Activities associated with preparation of an Exploration
Target for gold. The Barrambie Greenstone Belt hosts a number of
historic gold mines and the town was established upon the discovery
of gold by contractors building the rabbit-proof fence in
1905.
![A map of the world with a map of the earth Description automatically generated with medium confidence](https://dw6uz0omxro53.cloudfront.net/3124972/49b02eba-c26e-47f8-8c9c-66a2045a4de6.jpg)
Figure 7 - The Barrambie Greenstone belt and surrounding gold mines and
mills.
CORPORATE
During the quarter the Company
continued to further reduce cash outflows across its projects,
reducing non-essential activities, staffing levels and
administrative costs.
A number of new senior management
appointments and resignations were announced during the
quarter:
· Non-executive director Dr Jennifer Purdie is now executive
director and Chief Operating Officer for six
months[4];
· Mr
Chris Kelsall as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary. The
highly credentialled Mr Kelsall replaced Neometals' long serving
Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary, Mr Jason Carone who
resigned from his role after almost 17 years to pursue new
opportunities[5][6]; and
· Dr
Natalia Streltsova resigned as a Non-Executive Director of the
Company, effective 30 June 2024.
During the quarter Neometals
securities commenced trading on the OTCQX® Market in the U.S. under
the symbol 'NMTAY'. No new securities were issued as part of
quotation on the OTCQX market[7];
Financial
Finances
(unaudited)
Cash and term deposits on hand as of
30 June 2024 totalled $9.8 million, including $0.3 million in
restricted use term deposits supporting contractual obligations.
The Company has investments totalling $14.2 million, net
receivables of $1.0 million and inventories of $0.3
million.
Related Party payments for the
quarter outlined in the ASX Appendix 5B released contemporaneously
at section 6.1 total $250,000 and are made up of Director fees and
superannuation.
Issued
Capital
The total number of Company shares on
issue as at 30 June 2024 was 622,810,316.
Redivium Ltd (Formerly Hannans Limited) (ASX: RIL)
("Redivium") (Battery
Recycling)
As at 30 June 2024 Neometals held
879,812,014 ordinary fully paid shares (~26% of the issued capital)
in Redivium on an undiluted basis. Redivium holds exclusive
technology licences to Neometals' original LiB Recycling Technology
in Italy, Greece and the Balkans, a non-exclusive licence in the
United Kingdom and it is earning a 50% interest in an exclusive
licence for Scandinavia held by Critical Metals Limited.
Critical Metals Limited (Unlisted, Scandinavian
Lithium/Cobalt/Base Metals)
Neometals holds ~18% of unlisted
public company Critical Metals Ltd, a company which holds an
exclusive licence to Neometals' original LiB Recycling Technology
in Scandinavia, in joint venture with Redivium.
Authorised on behalf of Neometals by
Christopher Reed, Managing Director.
For
more information, please contact:
Neometals Ltd
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Chris Reed, Managing Director &
Chief Executive Officer
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+61 8 9322 1182
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Jeremy McManus, General Manager - IP
& IR
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+61 8 9322 1182
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Cavendish Capital Markets Limited - NOMAD &
Broker
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Neil McDonald
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+44 (0)131 220 9771
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Peter Lynch
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+44 (0)131 220 9772
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Adam Rae
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+44 (0)131 220 9778
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Compliance Statement
The information in this report that
relates to Mineral Resource Estimates for the Barrambie
Vanadium/Titanium Project is extracted from the ASX Announcement
listed below, which is also available on the Company's website
at www.neometals.com.au
17/04/2018 Barrambie
- Updated Barrambie Mineral Resource Estimate
The Company confirms that it is not
aware of any new information or data that materially affects the
information included in the original market announcements and that
all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the
estimates in the market announcements continue to apply and have
not materially changed. The Company confirms that the form and
context in which the Competent Persons' findings are presented have
not been materially modified from the original market
announcements.
APPENDIX
Appendix 1: Global Resource
Table 1:
Barrambie Mineral Resource Estimate, April
2018*
Appendix 2: Tenement
Interests
As at 30 June 2024, the Company has
an interest in the following projects and tenements in Western
Australia.
Project
Name
|
Licence
Name
|
Beneficial
Interest
|
Status
|
Barrambie
|
M57/173-I
|
100%
|
Live
|
Barrambie
|
E57/769-I
|
100%
|
Live
|
Barrambie
|
E57/770-I
|
100%
|
Live
|
Barrambie
|
E57/1041-I
|
100%
|
Live
|
Barrambie
|
E57/1220
|
100%
|
Pending
|
Barrambie
|
E57/1244
|
100%
|
Pending
|
Barrambie
|
E57/1245
|
100%
|
Pending
|
Barrambie
|
E57/1379
|
100%
|
Live
|
Barrambie
|
E57/1401
|
100%
|
Pending
|
Barrambie
|
E57/1437
|
100%
|
Pending
|
Barrambie
|
E20/1037
|
100%
|
Pending
|
Barrambie
|
L57/0030
|
100%
|
Live
|
Barrambie
|
L57/0064
|
100%
|
Pending
|
Barrambie
|
L57/0065
|
100%
|
Pending
|
Barrambie
|
L57/0066
|
100%
|
Live
|
Barrambie
|
L20/0055
|
100%
|
Live
|
Barrambie
|
L20/0080
|
100%
|
Live
|
Barrambie
|
L20/0081
|
100%
|
Live
|
Queen Victoria
Rocks
|
E15/1416-I
|
100%
|
Live
|
Changes in interests in mining tenements Interests in mining
tenements acquired or increased
Project Name
|
Licence Name
|
Acquired or increased
|
Barrambie
|
L57/0066
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Granted
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Interests in mining tenements relinquished, reduced, or
lapsed
Project Name
|
Licence Name
|
Relinquished, reduced, or lapsed
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
About Neometals
Neometals facilitates sustainable
critical material supply chains and reduces the environmental
burden of traditional mining in the global transition to a circular
economy.
The Company is commercialising a
portfolio of sustainable processing solutions that recycle and
recover critical materials from high-value waste
streams.
· Neometals' core focus is on the commercialisation of its
patented, Lithium-ion Battery
("LiB") Recycling technology (50% NMT), under a plant supply
and technology licensing business model. Primobius GmbH is
the 50:50 incorporated JV with 150-year-old German plant builder,
SMS group GmbH, that is commercialising the technology. Primobius
is building a 2,500tpa recycling plant for Mercedes-Benz under a
long-term Cooperation Agreement. It also operates its own LiB
disposal service in Germany and plans to offer its first commercial
21,000tpa plant to North American licensee, Stelco, in JunQ
2025.
Neometals is developing two advanced
battery materials technologies for commercialisation under
low-risk, low-capex technology licensing business
models:
· Lithium Chemicals (70%
NMT) - Patented ELi™ electrolysis
process, co-owned 30% by Mineral Resources Ltd, to produce battery
quality lithium hydroxide from brine and/or hard-rock feedstocks at
lowest quartile operating costs. Pilot scale test work and
Engineering Cost Study review planned for completion in DecQ 2024;
and
· Vanadium Recovery (100%
NMT) - Patent pending
hydrometallurgical process to produce high-purity vanadium
pentoxide from steelmaking by-product ("Slag") at lowest-quartile
operating cost and carbon footprint.
Additionally, Neometals is
conducting due diligence on acquiring a proprietary process and
pilot plant to produce precious metals from waste.
For further information
visit www.neometals.com.au