Larry W. Reaugh, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Manganese, (TSX.V: AMY; Pink Sheets: AMYZF; Frankfurt: 2AM), is pleased to announce that the Company has filed its provisional patent application with the US Patent and Trademark Office for its innovative process for recovering of cathode materials (lithium, cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese) from spent lithium ion electric vehicle batteries. The energy efficient, environmentally friendly hydrometallurgical process produces high purity metal products that have been demonstrated to be suitable for direct recycling back into new lithium ion batteries.
Mr. Reaugh states that: “This revolutionary process provides a cleaner, environmentally sustainable recycling alternative to the current disposal options of either landfilling or smelting the spent lithium ion electric vehicle batteries. Furthermore, as the adoption of electric vehicles accelerates, the problems of suppling new cathode materials for new EV lithium ion batteries and disposing of spent lithium ion EV batteries will escalate accordingly. AMI’s recycling process could provide a secure, verifiable source of the cathode materials feedstocks, thereby reducing the need for new mines in potentially economically or socially risky jurisdictions.”
The “Proof of Concept” testing program executed by Kemetco Research Inc. demonstrated that leach extractions of 100% is possible, for both lithium and cobalt from cathode powders used for lithium ion batteries. High purity cathode compounds were then precipitated and the recovered constituents were combined and heat treated to regenerate useable cathode materials which were used to build a working lithium ion coin cell battery. The provisional patent application sets a priority date of the invention which encompasses a complete closed loop process for recovery of the target compounds in an energy and water efficient manner.
“The Company is now embarking on the additional research work that is required to fully develop the potential of its recycling process,” Mr. Reaugh continued. “Kemetco has prepared a graduated technology development program with the goal of developing a complete flowsheet to maximize the recovery of valuable cathode components, while minimizing reagent consumption and addressing water balance in an environmentally friendly and economic manner.”