This is, in my opinion, one of the best sentences in EcoGraf's publication last night:
“Through froth flotation, graphite wassuccessfully recovered from the Black mass, and the resulting concentrate underwent purificationusing EcoGraf HFfree™ technology. The results of testing confirmed that the electrochemicalperformance of the EcoGraf HFfree™ recovered graphite from end-of-life lithium-ion batteriesmatches that of the brand-new commercial anode graphite as shown in the summary below."
I also found something else at BASF:
https://www.basf.com/global/de/media/news-releases/2024/01/p-24-100.html
It shows how Stena Recycling will operate:
“After the collection of used lithium-ion batteries and waste from battery production and the production of the black mass by Stena Recycling in Halmstad, the black mass is further processed in BASF’s prototype metal refinery in Schwarzheide.”
BASF is building up a complete value chain from cathode production to the recycling of old batteries with various small companies and their processes.This means that the Stena company is one of many pre-suppliers for old batteries and black mass that is delivered to Schwarzheide.EcoGraf then comes into play to clean the graphite.
I have no idea how the other materials, e.g. lithium, nickel, etc., are filtered out and cleaned from the black mass.The prototype plant for recycling started in 2023 and the second plant for black mass will now follow in 2024.
I assume that EcoGraf was able to carry out tests in the prototype facility together with BASF and that many of these samples and results went to the Helmholtz Institute in order to finally secure themselves on both sides + to have general security from EcoGraf for other customers.
If BASF builds more recycling plants and the process is worthwhile, we could see a binding contract at some point soon.I would even claim that without the Epanko mine and BAM plants, EcoGraf could make money with the recycling business model with the cleaning technology, but I don't assume that and hope that this worst case scenario never happens.
Here is a brand new interview from my contact Arne with Andrew Spinks from Friday last week:
Please take a look at Spinks' interview and tell me that I didn't mishear when he named ThyssenKrupp as the main buyer of Epanko graphite!
In the last weeks, my feelings about EcoGraf and the News flow is going better and better.
An exciting phase like these, we hadn't had this last year or 3 years ago after Kwinana.
I would say the March and April are the most important months for Ecograf, Epanko, KFW, Recycling, judgement against RNU etc. to have further success!
If their are more informations next time, I will let you know!
Greetings from Germany!
