Tetronics International Plasma Smelting: Techno-Economic Assessment - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Tetronics International Plasma Smelting: Techno-Economic Assessment Study Report Re-LiB Project Dr Tim Johnson 21 st February 2019

2 TETRONICS Commercial in confidence

3 Tetronics Background Market leader in the application and supply of DC Plasma Arc technology Established 1964 in Oxfordshire Moved to new facilities in Swindon 2004 Comprehensive and sophisticated R&D trial facilities Experienced process design, engineering and manufacturing staff complemented by project management, commercial and environmental regulatory expertise Mature technology with extremely wide application 109 patents granted or pending across 12 families 90+ installations globally Commercial in confidence

4 Selected Reference Plants Location Year MW Application Extensive Supply Indian client 2017 0.5 Autocat, chemical cat EZOCM (Russia) 2016 0.6 Autocat, chemical cat Duncan Recycling (USA) 2016 0.6 Autocat BlueOak (USA) 2015 1.3 E-waste Heesung PM Tech x 3 (South Korea) 2005 to 2014 0.4 to 1.0 Autocat, chemical cat Hensel Recycling (Germany) 2014 0.6 Autocat Sino-Platinum (China) 2013 0.6 Autocat Furuya Metals (Japan) 2013 0.6 Chemical cat Solar Industries (Taiwan) 2012 0.6 Autocat, chemical cat, e-waste PPUK, Swindon (UK) 2007 0.6 Autocat EA Technology (UK) 1993 0.3 Asbestos Outokumpu, Sheffield (UK) 1988 2.5 Stainless steel EAF/AOD dust Multimetco (USA) x 2 1892, 1986 1.2, 0.8 Autocat, chemical cat Specification & Reduced Supply Japan x 9 (various) 1991 to 2000 0.1 to 1.4 Ash melting MSE Inc (USA) 1995 0.4 Vitrification Harsco, Terni (Italy) 1991 7.0 Stainless steel EAF/AOD dust Plazmet (USA) 1990 5.0 Zinc-containing wastes IMS x 2, Nucor/Yamata (USA) 1989 2.0, 2.5 Carbon steel EAF dust Presur (Spain) 1989 2.5 Chromite ore smelting Built Under Licence Japan x 10 (MHI, Takuma) 1995 to 2005 0.8 to 4.0 Ash melting Commercial in confidence

5 1,800 tonnes per year Commercial in confidence

6 23,000 tonnes per year Commercial in confidence

7 On the basis of the material composition and availability, DC Plasma Arc is likely to be an ideal method for the recovery of valuable metals from EV Battery materials. Commercial in confidence

8 EV BATTERY MATERIALS RECOVERY Commercial in confidence

9 Base Metal Recovery Process Oxidants: water, O 2 Additions: CaO, SiO 2 , C Co, Cu, Fe, Zn, Pb-rich Ni, Sn-rich dust Furnace Alloy Mn-rich Filter Dust slag Commercial in confidence

10 Smelting Furnace Commercial in confidence

11 Input Materials Considered EV Li-ion batteries (7,000 tpa) As-received, i.e. without pre-shredding • Increased simplicity and safety of handling • Reduced opportunity to recover and separate target materials Upgraded, i.e. with pre-shredding and physical separation • Increased direct recovery of Al, Fe, C, Cu, etc. • Reduced Al, graphite and organic compounds in plasma furnace • Reduced mass for plasma treatment (44% of as-received) • Reduced off-gas volumes (20% of as-received) • Increased battery handling requirements Commercial in confidence

12 Input Materials Considered Other battery-related materials (7,000 tpa) Pb-acid battery smelting slags Alkaline (Zn-Mn) battery ‘black mass’ Materials already commercially available in UK Synergies of composition and collection infrastructure Economics more dependent on stable gate fees than volatile metal values Greater range and availability of input materials in early project stage Commercial in confidence

13 Modelling Assumptions 7,000 tonnes per year of spent EV battery material Composition: 1-1-1 NMC Upgrading recovers 56% of input material (c.3,100 tpa to plasma) Furnace temperature: 1500°C Slag-forming additions based on preliminary assessment Oxygen and water added to furnace to gasify organics (where necessary) No physical carryover to particulate filter (typically c.2wt% of input) Excess carbon reports to the alloy Proportion of Al taking part in redox reactions: limiting assumptions 100% of Al reacts fully in line with thermodynamic equilibrium 75wt% of Al reports directly to alloy; 25wt% of Al reacts fully Commercial in confidence

14 Typical 7,000 Tonne pa Plant Commercial in confidence

15 Plasma Power Supply Graphite Electrode Off-Gas Duct Furnace Thermal Feed System Oxidiser Extraction Hood Metal & Slag Handling System Commercial in confidence

16 Cases Considered As-received EV material: 100% of Al reacts As-received EV material: 25% of Al reacts Upgraded EV material: 100% of Al reacts Upgraded EV material: 25% of Al reacts Alkaline battery ‘black mass’ (Zn-Mn) Silica-based Pb-smelting slag Mixed alkaline battery ‘black mass’ / silica-based Pb-smelting slag Commercial in confidence

17 Alloy Outputs (EV Materials) Alloy Co: 41% Cu: 14% Fe: 3% Ni: 41% C, Al: depends on modelling assumptions No obvious alloy or master alloy Commercial in confidence

18 Alloy Outputs (EV Materials) Slag Al 2 O 3 : 16% to 31% (mostly from Al) CaO: 12% to 31% (mostly from flux) Li compounds: 3% to 27% (as Li 2 CO 3 , Li 2 O, LiF) Mn x O y : 4% to 31% (processing of slag TBC) SiO 2 : 12% to 31% (mostly from flux) Commercial in confidence

19 Operating Costs EV batteries – as received £271 to £371 per tonne of input to the plasma furnace £1.9m to £2.6m per year EV batteries – upgraded £262 to £320 per tonne of input to the plasma furnace £1.0m to £0.8m per year Extra processing costs (and revenues) from upgrading step Other battery-related materials £206 to £269 per tonne of input to the plasma furnace £1.4m to £1.9m per year Main costs: electricity, labour, fluxes (lime, silica) Commercial in confidence

20 Operating Revenues Metal values – highly dependent on: End use or further processing of alloy product Metal prices (report values: Co: £50.9/kg; Ni: £10.4/kg) Make up of battery waste (Ni more important in future than Co) Recovery efficiency (smelting and upgrading combined) Gate fee (currently only available for battery-related materials) Commercial in confidence

21 Operating Revenues (cont.) Metal recovery efficiency: Ni, Co, Cu, Sn (to alloy): c.98% Mn (to slag): c.95% Pb, Zn (to dust): c.95% to 100% Recovered metal value (100% of Sep-18 market value, smelting only) As-received EV materials: c.£2,200 per tonne; c.£15.4m pa Upgraded material: c.£4,420 per tonne; c.£13.6m pa Revenue from EV materials halved since September 2018 Other materials: Metal value: c.£225 per tonne Gate fee: c.£175 per tonne Total: c.£400 per tonne; c.£1.7m pa Commercial in confidence

22 Conclusions DC plasma smelting offers a highly effective method for recovering valuable metals from EV battery materials Plant offers high metal recovery efficiencies and flexibility of operation Upgrading material gives a simpler, smaller and cheaper plasma system Economics are highly dependent on metal prices, battery composition and true market value of output alloy Plant could be used successfully used for other battery-related materials: Economics more dependent on gate fees, less on metal prices Synergies of chemistry and battery collection infrastructure Commercial in confidence

tim.johnson@tetronics.com Marston Gate Thank you South Marston Park Stirling Road Swindon SN3 4DE Tel : +44 (0)1793 238500