Glencore and Li-Cycle plan joint battery recycling facility

Glencore International AG, located in Baar in the canton of Zug, and Toronto-based Li-Cycle have agreed to study the feasibility of recycling metals from old batteries in an existing Glencore metallurgical facility in Portovesme, Sardinia, according to a press release.

The Portovesme Hub for battery production would be used to produce critical materials like nickel, cobalt and lithium from recycled battery content. The partners aim to create the first European fully closed-loop solution and “the largest source of recycled battery grade lithium as well as recycled nickel and cobalt in Europe”. Expected processing capacity is between 50,000 and 70,000 tonnes of black mass input each year.

The feasibility study is set to launch in mid-2023 and will be completed by mid-2024. Subject to a final investment decision, construction of the Portovesme Hub will begin and the facility is set to be commissioned by the start of 2027.

The partners are planning to leverage Li-Cycle’s hydrometallurgical technology during the study. Li-Cycle is active in the field of lithium-ion battery resource recovery and, according to the press release, is the industry leader in North America. The hub is now set to become the largest manufacturer of sustainable battery grade products in Europe.

Glencore International AG is a a wholly owned subsidiary of Glencore plc, a producer, recycler and marketer of nickel and cobalt for the production of electric vehicle batteries. ce/ko