Recovery of battery metals - Project-Launch of Metallico

How can battery metals such as lithium, cobalt, copper, manganese and nickel be recycled in a sustainable way? This question is in the focus of the new EU project METALLICO, in which DECHEMA is also involved.

23 partners from nine countries will optimize five innovative processes for the recovery of those metals and subsequently demonstrate these in case studies on an industrially relevant scale. The processes are intended to open up new and previously untapped sources of raw materials in the EU and thus reduce dependency.

While the battery sector has been experiencing increasing demand for raw materials for several years, it is at the same time vulnerable to risks in the procurement of these materials. As batteries are of great importance for the energy and mobility transition and drive the shift towards sustainable and environmentally friendly technologies in the battery sector, the availability of (critical) battery metals must be ensured. Various strategies are being pursued here, with the utilization of residual materials through recovery and recycling of materials playing a central role.

"Within METALLICO, we will optimize and further develop five innovative processes for recovering and producing lithium, cobalt, copper, manganese and nickel from primary and secondary raw material sources," says Maria González-Moya Jiménez of coordinator IDENER. "These will then be demonstrated at an industrially relevant scale in four case studies and evaluated in terms of sustainability."

In addition, the project is developing a digital (open source) platform in which, on the one hand, primary and secondary battery metal sources are identified and characterized. On the other hand, digital twins of innovative plants for the recovery and production of metals will make it possible to simulate the efficiency as well as the economic, environmental and social impacts in the recovery of the respective metal.
The results produced in METALLICO will allow industrial companies to invest in new mining and metal recovery facilities.

González-Moya Jiménez: "The new processes will enable industry to develop significant quantities of new, currently unused or under-utilized resources in the EU. This will help reduce dependence on volatile raw material markets and ensure the availability of metals in the battery sector, but also in other industrial sectors."

DECHEMA e.V. is responsible for communication and public relations in the project. This includes, among other things, the planning and implementation of various communication activities in order to disseminate the results and activities of the project towards the relevant target groups. In addition, DECHEMA e.V. is also responsible, for example, for the visual identity and online presence of the project.

Partners involved in METALLICO: IDENER Research and Development AIE, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Siec Badawcza Lukasiewicz - Instytut Metali Niezelaznych, Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT OY, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung EV, G.E.O.S.Ingenieurgesellschaft MBH, Cementos La Cruz, S.L., Euroatomizado SA, Glencore Nikkelverk AS, Centro de Investigacion Cooperativa de Energias Alternativas, Cobre las Cruces SA, Cetaqua Centro Tecnologico del Agua Fundacion Privada, Corporacion Chilena de Investigacion del Agua, Tharsis Mining Sociedad Limitada, Politecnico di Torino, Asistencias Tecnicas Clave SL, Radical Innovations Group AB, Minera Los Frailes, S.L., Lithium Iberia, S.L., DECHEMA Gesellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnologie, Geniki Metalleutiki Kai Metallourgiki Anonimi Etairia.

Source: DECHEMA