Metso expands its process piloting capabilities in Finland to meet the needs of the battery industry

Metso has undertaken a significant modernization effort at its pilot facility located within the Metso Research Center in Pori, Finland. The upgraded facility now boasts expanded capabilities tailored to process testing for lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and other critical battery chemicals. This unique pilot line has been designed to cater to the needs of both the mining and battery industries, particularly in the processing of battery minerals. In conjunction with this expansion, Metso has also inaugurated a battery materials precursor (pCAM) pilot plant, which is now available for customer trials.

Janne Karonen, the Director for Hydrometallurgical Research & Development at Metso, emphasized the increasing demand for pilot runs related to battery minerals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt over the past three years. The company is actively engaged in numerous projects, including battery black mass recycling and precursor initiatives, as well as various lithium and other battery chemicals pilot programs. To facilitate these endeavors, Metso relies on essential process simulations, with support from their unique metallurgical digital twin called Geminex™. This innovative system, based on their proprietary HSC-Sim software, enables predictive process simulations, with real-time data from pilot plants further enhancing the accuracy of their predictive models.

Metso's journey in sustainable hard rock lithium soda leaching spans two decades. The expansion of their pilot facility aligns with their commitment to pioneering piloting capabilities for minerals processing and metals refining, offering minerals and battery industry customers comprehensive testing, piloting services, and technology and equipment solutions from a single source.

Metso's expertise extends across the entire spectrum of battery minerals, encompassing the extraction of lithium from brines and pegmatite ores all the way to producing battery-grade lithium salts. These patented processes are meticulously designed to meet the stringent requirements of high-end lithium-ion battery chemicals production. With their diverse project scopes, ranging from equipment packages to complete plant deliveries, Metso is well-positioned to provide sustainable technology and equipment solutions throughout the lithium, nickel, and cobalt production chain, spanning from mining to battery materials and black mass recycling.

Source:metso.com