Germany: BASF and Tenova Advanced Technologies (TAT) have taken a major step forward in their efforts to recycle batteries. The two companies have agreed on a long-term cooperation for the prototype plant for battery recycling located in Schwarzheide, Brandenburg. With this partnership, they seek to optimise the hydrometallurgical recycling process.
TAT's novel Lithium recovery process, which includes Lithium solvent extraction (LiSX) and Lithium electrolysis (LiEL), is now being utilised in the endeavour. This process will help make battery recycling more efficient and is sure to have a positive impact on sustainability goals. Tenova's technology enables us to “efficient recovery of Lithium from spent batteries and waste from battery production”.
BASF recently revealed plans for the commissioning of a prototype plant this year and for the construction of a plant for recycling black mass from batteries in Schwarzheide, which is expected to be operational early in 2024. The details were published by BASF back in June 2021.
“Using recycled metals for production of new battery materials can reduce the CO2 emission impact of batteries by about 25 percent compared to the use of virgin metals,” states Daniel Schonfelder, Head of Battery Base Metals and Recycling at BASF. “We will close the loop from end-of-life batteries to new battery production and will ensure an exceptionally low CO2 footprint for key metals needed to meet the growing demand for eMobility.” According to Schonfelder, BASF hopes to test “new approaches in further optimizing the recycling process” from its collaboration with Tenova.
Irad Rekem, managing director of TAT, states: “We are proud to bring our expertise and innovative technologies to this collaborative effort with BASF to recycle end-of-life batteries. This will be a recycling process that will demonstrate efficient metal recovery and production of Lithium salts based on solvent extraction.”
