A 50%-owned Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT) intellectual property subsidiary has been granted a patent for the key process steps of its lithium-ion battery recycling process by the Australian Patent Office.
The Australian patent is the first to grant of the 17 national patent applications filed for the LiB Recycling Technology in key jurisdictions across the globe.
The LiB Recycling Technology, co-owned 50% by Neometals’ Primobius joint venture partner, SMS group, recovers materials contained in LiB production scrap and end-of-life cells that might otherwise be disposed of in land fill.
The 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.
The LiB Recycling Technology comprises two stages:
1. “Spoke” – Comprising of LiB receipting, sorting, discharging, disassembly together with shredding and separation, to physically separate all of the components of LiBs received, by metal casings, electrode foils, plastics and active battery materials; and
2. “Hub” – Comprising of leaching, purification, precipitation or solvent extraction and crystallisation of the active materials suitable for use in production of LiB precursor, via a hydrometallurgical refining process.
The Australian patent is focused primarily on the Hub stage of the LiB Recycling Technology.
Neometals Managing Director, Chris Reed, said this is a significant development for Primobius as it pursues its recycling plant supply and technology licensing strategy. He said IP Australia have rigorously examined the patent claims against global ‘novelty’, ‘inventiveness’ and ‘industrial applicability’ measures, and Primobius can now better assert its commercial rights.
We are pleased to receive the first granted patent for our battery recycling process from the Australian Patent Office. This cements our competitive advantage as a leading provider of recycling solutions and allows Primobius to accelerate its recycling plant supply and licensing business model. The validation also provides encouragement that our portfolio of applications in other jurisdictions will similarly be granted,” Mr Reed said.
