Cobalt Blue Holdings (ASX:COB) has been awarded US$150,000 ($213,711) to undertake technical workstreams for a preliminary economic analysis (PEA) of Project Infinity, a proposed US-based polymetallic nodule refinery.
The company has entered into a contract with consortium partner Glomar Minerals to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of processing polymetallic nodules, with the PEA targeted for completion in Q4 2026.
Cobalt Blue’s contracted scope covers three key workstreams: metallurgical development, process plant design, and site layout and infrastructure assessment.
The work will advance metallurgical development and flowsheet design to extract manganese, copper, nickel, and cobalt from polymetallic nodule samples using the company’s proprietary hydrometallurgical processing technology.
Under the terms, the company will develop preliminary process flowsheet design and capital and operating cost estimates to an AACE Class V standard, with an accuracy range of approximately ±30–50%.
The scope also includes identifying processing site layout and infrastructure requirements to support ongoing US site selection evaluation, with four sites currently under assessment.
CEO Dr Andrew Tong says the PEA contract is the next step in the company’s ‘growing’ relationship with Glomar.
“The contract formalises initial work programs on Project Infinity, in particular the flowsheet development testwork being undertaken at the Broken Hill Technology Centre on samples provided by Glomar,” Tong says.
Project Infinity is a consortium between Glomar and Cobalt Blue, which aims to build and operate the first commercial polymetallic nodule refinery in the US. The consortium is assessing the potential for an integrated business to harvest, process, and sell manganese, copper, nickel, and cobalt from polymetallic nodules.
Glomar holds two exploration contracts for polymetallic nodules in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean, totalling 133,000km² through its wholly owned subsidiary UK Seabed Resources.
Cobalt Blue notes that the project aligns with US national strategies to establish secure and resilient critical minerals supply chains.
Since the consortium’s formation, the partners have progressed US site selection with a shortlist of candidate locations identified, and nodule samples have been delivered to Cobalt Blue’s Broken Hill Technology Centre where initial testwork has commenced.
The PEA contract is based on Cobalt Blue’s standard terms for third-party testwork and includes provisions relating to confidentiality, intellectual property, liability, and termination.
Cobalt Blue Holdings is a mining and mineral processing company focused on developing critical minerals like copper, cobalt, and silver.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Main image: Cobalt Blue Holdings
