The US Department of Energy (DOE) selected seven projects to receive $500mn to expand domestic critical mineral and material processing, battery manufacturing and recycling capacity.
The selections are the third round of funding from DOE's battery materials processing and battery manufacturing and recycling programs, which back demonstration projects, construction of commercial-scale facilities and the retrofitting or retooling of existing plants.
Two projects were picked under the battery materials processing program, each for $100mn.
Waterleaf P1 HoldCo, a Lilac Solutions company, will build a commercial lithium extraction and refining plant at West Promontory, Utah, on the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake, producing battery-grade lithium carbonate and returning processed brine to the lake. Phase one aims to double current US lithium output. Formation Holdings US, trading as Jervois, will build a commercial cobalt refinery producing battery-grade cobalt sulphate at a site yet to be named.
Five projects were selected under the manufacturing and recycling program.
Nth Cycle received $100mn for a southeastern US facility to refine black mass from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap into high-purity metals.
Princeton NuEnergy will receive $50mn to recover and rejuvenate nickel-bearing cathode material from manufacturing scrap at Commerce, Georgia, while Arcanum Ventures takes $50mn for a US Gulf coast plant producing battery-grade ethylene carbonate, an electrolyte ingredient.
Elevated Materials was awarded $50mn for ultra-thin lithium-metal films and prelithiated materials, and Coreshell Technologies $50mn for silicon-anode electrode and cell manufacturing at San Leandro, California, replacing imported graphite with domestically sourced metallurgical silicon.
