The European Union has launched a new project called METALLICO, which seeks to develop sustainable and innovative ways of extracting battery metals such as lithium, cobalt, copper, manganese, and nickel from both primary and secondary sources. The project is a four-year consortium involving 23 partners from nine different countries, with IDENER Research and Development AIE from Spain acting as the coordinator.
The main objective of the project is to optimize and demonstrate five sustainable processes for the extraction and recovery of these metals on an industrial scale in case studies. One of the project’s key features is to develop new and previously unexploited sources of raw materials within the EU, thereby reducing dependency on external markets.
See also: EV Metals Group Secures Land in Saudi Arabia for Battery Chemicals Processing Complex
To achieve this, the consortium plans to create an open-source digital platform to help identify and characterize primary and secondary sources of battery metals. Additionally, the partners will use digital twins of innovative production and recycling facilities to simulate the efficiency and the economic, environmental, and social impact of certain raw material extraction processes.
The results of the METALLICO project could pave the way for new investments in mining and metal recycling facilities. The new processes will allow the industry to develop significant quantities of new resources currently under-utilized in the EU. This will reduce dependence on volatile raw material markets, ensuring the availability of metals in the battery sector, and other industrial sectors.
The partners involved in the project come from diverse sectors, including academia, research institutions, and industrial organizations, which will provide a broad range of expertise and perspectives. This collaboration could lead to new breakthroughs in sustainable resource management, benefiting both the environment and the economy.
See also: Ford registers new patent for external airbag technology
The METALLICO project demonstrates the EU’s commitment to developing sustainable resource management and reducing dependencies on external markets. By promoting innovative ways of extracting and recycling battery metals, the EU hopes to create a more sustainable and resilient economy that is less vulnerable to external shocks.
