Cobalt Blue and Ecobatt (a subsidiary of Ecocycle) have announced a strategic partnership to advance Australia’s battery recycling industry and further develop the country’s critical minerals supply chain for domestic use or export.
December 20, 2024 -- Ecocycle is a leading Australian battery recycler, operating a nationwide collection network and state-of-the-art processing facility in Victoria. The facility, modelled on global best practices, recovers valuable materials from recycled batteries, which can be repurposed in new battery production or other applications.
Cobalt Blue is a technology-driven mining and mineral processing company focused on sustainable solutions. The company operates a demonstration-scale refinery and Technology Development Centre in Broken Hill(NSW), where it has developed a proprietary metallurgical flowsheet to extract critical minerals from various feedstocks, including black mass. Cobalt Blue is advancing the development of the Kwinana Cobalt Refinery in Western Australia, which will be Australia’s first critical minerals refinery dedicated to producing materials for the global lithium-ion battery supply chain. The company is also exploring global opportunities for reprocessing mine waste through its ReMine + initiative.
Ecocycle has recently provided samples of black mass from recycled batteries to the Broken Hill Technology Development Centre, where cobalt, nickel, and manganese—critical components of lithium-ion batteries—were successfully recovered. Through this MOU, Cobalt Blue and Ecocycle have agreed to collaborate further, exploring opportunities to scale-up black mass processing and recover valuable critical minerals for growing domestic and international markets.
Cobalt Blue and Ecocycle are both partnersinthe Minerals to Megawatts Cooperative Research Centre (CRC),a ten-year (2025-2035) nationwide coordinated initiative that aims to enhance Australia’s renewable technology competitiveness and sovereign capability through the development of high-value technologies,such as lithium-ion batteries. Through this collaboration, Cobalt Blue intends to provide high-purity cobalt, nickel and manganese products to participants in the CRC. Projects under development include a collaborative cathode precursor facility planned for Brisbane (Queensland).
At a glance
- Company
- Cobalt Blue
- Announcement
- Partnership
- Location
- Australia
Key figures
- Minerals to Megawatts CRC term
- ten-year (2025-2035)
- Batteries potentially in use in Australia
- up to 400 million
- Batteries recycled, excluding Lead Acid Batteries
- less than 5%
People
- Joe KaderavekCEO of Cobalt Blue
Products and programs
According to the Battery Stewardship Council, up to 400 million batteries may be in use in Australia, but less than 5% are recycled (not including Lead Acid Batteries). Many of the used lithium-ion batteries find their way from kerbside bins to landfills. The risk of fire and damage from improperly stored batteries is a widespread issue, affecting recycling facilities, households, and companies across Australia.
Joe Kaderavek, CEO of Cobalt Blue stated:
"This MOU with Ecocycle represents a significant step forward for Australia's battery recycling ecosystem. Our advanced processing capabilities, combined with the supply of black mass from Ecocycle, will enable us to explore and evaluate opportunities around processing domestic black mass into critical minerals to re-enter the battery supply chain. This will address environmental concerns, capitalise on growing demand for critical minerals, reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, create new jobs, and strengthen Australia's position overall as a leader in clean energy technologies”.
Contacts:
Joel Crane
Investor Relations/Commercial Manager
Email: [email protected]
Andrea Roberts
Communications and Engagement Manager
Email: [email protected]
Additional Information:
17 December 2024: Kwinana Refinery Update + Black Mass Agreement
9 December 2024: Cobalt Blue and Mount Isa City Council Sign MOU to Develop Sulphuric Acid Supply Solution
9 October 2024: Kwinana Cobalt Refinery Update
This announcement includes “forward-looking statements”. All statements other than those of historical facts included in this announcement are forward-looking statements. Where the Company expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, forward looking statements are subject torisks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to any “forward-looking statement”.
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In brief
Cobalt Blue and Ecocycle have signed a memorandum of understanding to examine ways to expand processing of black mass from recycled batteries and recover minerals for battery supply chains. Cobalt Blue says Ecocycle supplied samples that were processed at its Broken Hill facility, where cobalt, nickel and manganese were recovered. The companies plan to explore opportunities to scale up the work for domestic and international markets. Both are also involved in the Minerals to Megawatts Cooperative Research Centre, and Cobalt Blue intends to supply high-purity mineral products to CRC participants. The announcement cites an estimate that up to 400 million batteries may be in use in Australia, with less than 5% recycled, excluding lead-acid batteries.
Key takeaways
- The MOU covers exploring larger-scale processing of recycled-battery black mass.
- Cobalt Blue reports recovering cobalt, nickel and manganese from Ecocycle-provided samples.
- Cobalt Blue intends to provide high-purity mineral products to participants in the Minerals to Megawatts CRC.
- The release cites an estimate that less than 5% of batteries in use in Australia are recycled, excluding lead-acid batteries.
