Within one of its recent reports, the World Economic Forum is warning that while governments around the world are pushing for a clean energy transition, rising and demand for and limited supply of critical materials could hamper this process. This is echoed by the International Energy Agency in a report that highlights a need global critical materials trade, as well as massive increases needed in deployment of Solar PV, Batteries, and other Green Tech by 2035 to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. To help the cause, experts at the Center on Global Energy Policy of Columbia|SIPA is calling for strengthening the US EV battery recycling industry to onshore critical material supply. Full-scale efforts to support the energy transition are underway, led by innovation in battery materials tech, electric vehicles (EVs), and even powering artificial (AI) data centers, with recent developments coming from: Battery X Metals, Inc. (CSE: BATX) (OTCQB: BATXF), Rivian Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIVN), Amprius Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: AMPX), Lifezone Metals Limited (NYSE: LZM), and Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: AEIS).
The article continued: According to BloombergNEF, the mining industry needs $2.1 trillion dollars in new investment by 2050 to meet net-zero demands for raw materials. Earlier in October, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $1.5 billion investment in four important transmission projects.
Battery X Metals Announces Advancements in Eco-Friendly Lithium-ion Battery Material Recovery Technology with Global Top 20 University Partnership
Battery X Metals, Inc. (CSE: BATX) (OTCQB: BATXF), a clean energy technology and exploration company, focused on developing proprietary technologies to extend the lifespan of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, recover battery-grade materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, and exploring battery and critical metal resources, recently announced significant advancements by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Battery X Recycling Technologies Inc., in developing sustainable technology for recovering battery-grade materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. These advancements are in collaboration with a Global Top 20 University as part of an ongoing research partnership.
The partnership has led to promising results in optimizing battery-grade graphite recovery from lithium-ion battery black mass using Battery X's proprietary froth flotation process. These trials have been instrumental in refining the technology to recover battery-grade materials such as graphite, lithium, nickel, and cobalt from black mass, advancing both technological development and process design.
"Our progress in developing proprietary eco-friendly technology is a significant step forward in sustainable battery recycling, particularly by addressing graphite recovery, which is often overlooked in conventional methods," said Massimo Bellini Bressi, CEO of Battery X Metals. "The positive preliminary results from our collaboration with a Global Top 20 University highlights our potential to meet the increasing demand for battery materials in a sustainable way. We look forward to advancing this partnership, validating our technology, applying for provisional patents, and ultimately exploring strategic opportunities to license our technology to industry partners."
In controlled laboratory tests, the Global Top 20 University conducted multiple experiments to optimize black mass flotation in a Denver Cell with a 500g sample size for each experiment, assessing various frother and collector dosages across single- and multi-stage flotation protocols. Initial single-stage tests focused on frother-only trials to stabilize bubbles, followed by adding a collector to enhance graphite's hydrophobicity. The frother-alone trials produced dark froth that lightened over time, while the addition of a collector created a more stable, thicker froth, extending flotation duration and enhancing graphite separation.
Multi-stage flotation protocols with adjusted frother and collector dosages further refined the separation process. Multi-stage flotation showed that each stage's froth thinned and lightened over time, with flotation effectively concluding more rapidly.
Preliminary assays confirmed that the black mass sample used in the experiments consisted of approximately 45% graphite, with oxides and phosphates comprising the remainder. Initial separation tests successfully floated approximately 45% of the black mass sample (mainly graphite), while oxides and phosphates remained in the tailings, underscoring the efficiency of the flotation process in isolating battery-grade graphite, a fundamental component to lithium-ion anodes. These promising results serve as a baseline for validating the recovery technology.
Battery X and the Global Top 20 University have made strides in process design through lab-scale trials, demonstrating that multi-stage flotation achieves more efficient material separation than single-stage methods. Trials incorporated varied reagent dosages to stabilize froth formation, maximize graphite yield, and manage oxide and phosphate separation in specific stages. Ongoing R&D efforts focus on consistent trial results that align with industry metrics, providing a solid foundation for future potential scalability.
Battery X and the Global Top 20 University intend to conduct comprehensive chemical assays to quantify graphite recovery rates, assess material purity, and verify oxide and phosphate separation.
With the current black mass sample primarily oxide-based, the next phase will focus on validating oxide and phosphate recovery, testing additional surfactants in dedicated flotation stages for future patent applications and commercial use.
To further support this phase, Battery X plans to provide the Global Top 20 University with phosphate-based black mass samples to test in tandem with its existing oxide-based sample. Upon successful validation Battery X and the Global Top 20 University plan to pursue provisional patents to secure IP for these advancements, with the Battery X's future business strategy centered on licensing this IP to battery recyclers with existing infrastructure, aiming to establish itself as a downstream technology partner with a low-capex, scalable model.
