Major battery recycling plant set to power up after receiving green light

Technology Minerals, the listed UK company focused on battery metals, has revealed that its 48.25%-owned battery recycling business, Recyclus Group, has received the final Draft Operator Review from the Environment Agency (“EA”) for to start full operations for its lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery recycling plant in Wolverhampton
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Recyclus has responded to the EA to confirm its acceptance of the draft permit and expects the official EA certification to be completed “imminently”.

The Wolverhampton plant will be the first industrial scale plant in the UK with the capability to recycle Li-ion batteries. Following the final certification, on-site treatment and processing of spent Li-ion batteries will start immediately.

The plant has the potential to recycle up to 8,300 tonnes of Li-ion batteries in the first year of operation based on a single operating shift on five days per week. The aim is to increase that capacity to approximately 41,500 tonnes by building five additional Li-ion recycling plants in the coming years.

Recyclus receives revenues from gate fees for collection of Li-ion batteries, as well as from processing including the production of black mass which contains critical battery metals for recycling into the battery supply chain.

Robin Brundle, chairman of technology minerals, said: “Receiving the EA final approval draft to commence full automated operations at our Li-ion battery recycling plant in Wolverhampton is a landmark moment for the Company and for the UK.

“The battery recycling facility will be the first in the UK with capability to recycle Li-ion batteries on an industrial scale and will immediately begin recycling operations once the official certification is issued, which we expect imminently. With feedstock stored and ready to be processed, everything is in place to kick start operations at the facility and commence generation of cash flow.

“Recyclus will generate revenue through gate fees and the sale of the recycled materials that can then be reused in various industries, with the added benefit of diverting spent batteries from landfill. As the world transitions to electrification and demand for Li-ion batteries increases, we believe we have a strong first mover advantage for what is an industrial scale opportunity. We look forward to building long term relationships with businesses and organisations, both in the UK and internationally, which need a solution for their end-of-life batteries.”