Battery plant powers up

PLANS to develop a $100m battery metals refinery in Townsville are a step closer after the acquisition of a commercial scale processing operation in Germany, its proponent says.

Pure Battery Technologies wants to commercialise technology developed by the University of Queensland to produce nickel and cobalt for use in lithium-ion batteries.

It has chosen the Townsville port as the site for its Australian production facility.

The proposal is separate to those of Queensland Pacific Metals and Australian Mines which are both looking at separate battery metal refinery ventures in the region.

Pure Battery Technologies wants to refine partially treated nickel concentrate, called mixed hydroxide precipitate, and to recycle metals contained in old batteries to produce nickel sulphate and

Nickel Manganese Cobalt battery precursor materials.

Its Townsville facility would produce about 25,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate a year and create about 100 jobs.

On Monday, the company announced it was partnering with German-based metals recycler Cronimet to buy and develop a 10,000 tonnes per a n n u m processing operation in Hagen, Germany.

PBT managing director Bjorn Zikarsky said the aim of the German acquisition was to provide potential investors for the Townsville facility with a smaller scale commercial example of its Selective Acid Leaching technology.

“We have already proven the viability of our technology through our pilot plant in Brisbane. This commercial scale plant in Europe will give potential investors for Townsville further confidence in PBT’S commercial potential,” Mr Zikarsky said.

The company’s Mount Isaborn chairman, Stephen Wilmot, said the technology provided them with advantages in capital and operating costs and was more environmentally friendly than other processes.

“PBT consider the port zone ideal for our Townsville facility

Defence recruit and former car salesman Timothy Hunter was part of a special enlistment ceremony. INSET: Five of the new recruits at the ceremony. Picture: MATT TAYLOR as it minimises the need for logistics transport on the roads of the region, while providing us with our largest consumables in a central position,” Mr Wilmot said.

“The Port of Townsville offered the land following review of the feasibility details and taking into consideration their strict standards. The process itself has no emissions, toxic substances or tailings streams.”

He said a feasibility study had been completed and the project was “shovel-ready” but depended on investors’ backing.