Key points
- TMC and SGS Group began bench and pilot scale hydrometallurgical test work to refine nodule derived matte into copper cathode and battery grade nickel and cobalt sulfate
- Work follows a successful pyrometallurgical campaign that produced a copper, nickel and cobalt rich matte from nodules collected in Q1 2020 at NORI-D
- At full production, NORI-D, which is 22% of TMC’s defined resource, is expected to yield 119 ktpa nickel, 89 ktpa copper cathode, 9 ktpa cobalt and 2.9 Mtpa manganese silicate annually
- Announced October 6, 2021, shortly after TMC’s Nasdaq listing in September 2021
- The pilot hydrometallurgical refining campaign builds upon TMC’s recent successful pyrometallurgical processing campaign, where seafloor polymetallic nodules were used to produce an intermediate product (matte) rich in copper, nickel and cobalt
- TMC’s pilot refining campaign is expected to refine the matte into copper cathode and battery-grade nickel and cobalt sulfate crystals, completing the pilot-scale validation of its near-zero solid waste metallurgical flowsheet
- The bench and pilot-scale work with SGS Group (“SGS”) brings TMC one step closer to realizing its ambition of a full-scale metallurgical plant to re-shore production of critical battery metals in the U.S.
NEW YORK, Oct. 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Metals Company (Nasdaq: TMC) (the “Company” or “TMC”), a developer of lower-impact battery metals from seafloor polymetallic nodules, has commenced work with SGS, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification, to provide bench and pilot-scale testing in the Company’s program to refine battery metals from a matte that was recently successfully generated from nodules. The collaboration will help to determine, analyze and chart TMC’s path towards a full-scale metallurgical plant to produce battery metals like nickel and cobalt, deemed ‘most critical’ to U.S. interests by the Biden Administration. This important work program with SGS comes on the heels of TMC’s public listing to the Nasdaq in September.
SGS is providing TMC with the necessary equipment, resources and expertise to extract the battery-grade nickel sulfate, cobalt sulfate, and copper cathode, metals required to build EV batteries and wiring. The nodules used in TMC’s pilot processing work were collected in Q1 2020 from the Company’s NORI-D contract area in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean about 1,300 nautical miles from San Diego. When in full production, the NORI-D project, which represents just 22% of the Company’s estimated defined resource, is expected to process and refine 9.5 Mtpa of dry nodules (run rate) into critical battery metals and other products, including:
- 119 ktpa of nickel contained in nickel sulfate
- 9 ktpa of cobalt contained in cobalt sulfate
- 89 ktpa of copper cathode
- 2.9 Mtpa of manganese contained in 40% manganese silicate
- 254 ktpa of ammonium sulfate (fertilizer).
“Solving the climate problem requires solving the battery problem and solving the battery problem requires solving the metal problem. Today most of the critical battery metals are produced outside of the U.S., often on other continents — leaving the U.S. with a strong mineral dependence and a 50,000-mile-long battery material supply chain,” said Gerard Barron, Chairman and CEO of The Metals Company. “Nodules contain high grades of four critical metals in a single rock and are found at the doorstep of the U.S. western seaboard in sufficient quantities to solve America’s metal problem. Once collected, they can be shipped directly to the U.S. and processed and refined here with near-zero solid waste. The data we hope to collect from our engagement with SGS will get us one step closer to validating our process and one day solving the metal problem from our U.S. plant.”
“SGS has been engaged in the development of metallurgy processes for over 80 years,” said Stephen Mackie SGS, Natural Resources – Director of Metallurgy and Mineralogy. “We’re excited to be working with TMC to develop the metallurgical processes for the recovery of high purity metal salts from sea nodules that are critical to the EV battery industry. We are committed to providing our technical expertise to such projects that contribute to the green economy.”
About The Metals Company
The Metals Company is an explorer of lower-impact battery metals from seafloor polymetallic nodules, on a dual mission: (1) supply metals for the clean energy transition with the least possible negative environmental and social impact and (2) accelerate the transition to a circular metal economy. The company through its subsidiaries holds exploration and commercial rights to three polymetallic nodule contract areas in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean regulated by the International Seabed Authority and sponsored by the governments of Nauru, Kiribati and the Kingdom of Tonga.
More information is available at www.metals.co.
About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world. SGS is constantly looking beyond customers’ and society’s expectations in order to deliver market leading services wherever they are needed and working together to make the world a better, safer place.
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