ChemX Materials (ASX:CMX) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Pure Battery Technologies (PBT) which could lead to ChemX supplying suitable manganese to PBT’s proposed battery material refinery hub in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
The materials technology, which company focused on providing the critical materials required for electrification and decarbonisation, reports PBT is pursuing the development of a battery cathode active material refinery hub in Kalgoorlie after being granted $119.6 million in the Modern Manufacturing Initiative from the Australian Federal Government.
Under the MOU, which is non-exclusive for either party, ChemX and PBT will progress studies and associated works to enable ChemX to supply a suitable manganese product to PBT’s Kalgoorlie battery hub, from the Company’s High Purity Manganese Sulphate Monohydrate (HPMSM) Project located on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.
PBT was established in 2017 and is headquartered in Queensland and has commercialised and patented the Selective Acid Leaching (SAL) process.
Addressing the non-exclusive MOU, ChemX Managing Director David Leavy said: “The MOU will be mutually beneficial for PBT and ChemX as they execute their respective strategies in complementary segments across the lithium battery value chain.
Our 100% owned South Australian Jamieson Tank Manganese Project shall now focus on further exploratory drilling and manganese testwork for production of HPMSM, which is particularly suitable for the lithium battery cathode precursor market.”
ChemX and PBT will meet their own costs in undertaking the studies covered under the MOU and will cooperate in good faith to negotiate a binding offtake agreement should ChemX’s manganese project proceed to development.
The parties aim to complete the studies within the next 6 months.
Meamwhile, ChemX has appointed experienced metallurgical engineer Tony Tang as general manager of battery materials Technology, with the key deliverable of driving the studies and development of the Jamieson Tank HPMSM Project.
ChemX is a materials technology company focused on providing critical materials required for electrification and decarbonisation. The company’s vision is to support the energy transition with materials and technology that provide real solutions to lowering carbon emissions.
Developed in-house, ChemX’s HiPurA Process is a unique technology that is capable of producing high purity alumina (HPA) and high purity aluminium cathode precursor salts for lithium-ion batteries.
Initial testwork has indicated that the process is low cost and low in energy consumption, compared to alternative technologies. A key competitive advantage is that the HiPurA process is not tied to mine production, with the feedstock being a widely available chemical.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
