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OUR WORK

The team are currently working on raising debt finance to go into construction. In parallel the team are also working on finalising environmental permitting for the project.

Kobaloni Energy

Current Project Status

Our project is well advanced, with a feasibility study completed following significant laboratory and pilot plant test work. When designing the Kobaloni Energy plant we followed four key principles: 1. Proven technology Only tried, tested and established technology was used. 2. Low power consumption Processes and equipment were optimised to achieve the highest possible energy efficiency. 3. Low operating costs We prioritised achieving sustainably low operating costs. 4. Minimal environmental impact Wherever possible we have minimised the plant’s impact on the environment.

During the flowsheet design phase, the technical team followed the four key principles:

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No new
technology

Only tried, tested and proven technology could be incorporated into the refinery. This has been achieved.

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Low power consumption

In all trade-off studies, the team focused on ensuring that the lowest power consumption option was selected, even if this meant a higher capital cost.

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Low operating
costs

The lowest operating costs were selected, even if they increased capital expenditure.

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Minimal environmental impact

The overarching principal for the design of the refinery was to minimise its impact on the environment.

Outcomes of the feasibility study

The feasibility study confirmed the strong economic potential of the project. Post the completion of this study, the decision was taken to advance the project to construction.

The Kobaloni team are currently working on raising debt finance to proceed with construction. Simultaneously, we are working on finalising the environmental permits for the project.

What is Cobalt Sulphate?

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Use

Cobalt is a widely sought-after metal for use in superalloys, hard metals and high temperature steels, magnets, catalysts, batteries and a host of other applications.

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Mining locations

Cobalt is predominately mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Canada, Australia, Zambia and Brazil, and is found mainly in nickel or copper deposits. Cobalt is produced as a by-product in the copper and nickel industry.

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Value

The value of cobalt has increased over the years, and with advancements in the alloy, catalyst, magnet and battery industries, cobalt has become an extremely valuable metal.

The value of cobalt has increased over the years and with advancements in the alloy, catalyst, magnet and battery industries, cobalt has become an extremely valuable metal.

The cobalt sulphate refining process explained

The standard processing cycle for cobalt sulphate begins with cobalt being mined along with copper or nickel.

During hydrometallurgical refining, cobalt is then separated from the copper or nickel by precipitating the cobalt as a cobalt hydroxide.

Hydrometallurgical refining is the process of using acids, aqueous and organic solutions to refine a metal from one form into another and is used to purify the cobalt.

But cobalt hydroxide precipitation is a dirty separation technique and impurities remain with the cobalt. Typical impurities include magnesium, manganese, nickel, copper, iron, aluminium, and zinc.

Battery manufacturers require a pure cobalt sulphate product comprising greater than 99.9% cobalt, with all other impurities each making up less than 10 parts per million in the product.

Cobalt sulphate refining therefore involves the hydrometallurgical process of removing impurities from cobalt hydroxide using sulphuric acid leaching, ion exchange and solvent extraction techniques.

Once the impurities are removed from the cobalt, a pure cobalt sulphate crystal product is produced.

The Impact of Cobalt in Batteries

The rechargeable battery industry has many different battery types that fulfil different purposes. The materials used in a battery determines the battery life, the battery stability, the energy output and, importantly, the cost of the battery.

Lithium-ion batteries are preferable for their high energy density, which means that they can hold their charge for longer than most other batteries. This is important in the electric vehicle industry, allowing vehicles to get more mileage per charge.

There are a range of different lithium-ion battery types, which are defined by their cathode chemistry. Different battery chemistries allow for safe, efficient and prolonged power supply. The main battery types are NMC (nickel, manganese and cobalt), NCA (nickel, cobalt, aluminium) and LFP (lithium iron phosphate). NMC batteries make up the majority of the electric vehicle battery supply.

Cobalt is an essential part of the battery cathode as it is responsible for battery stability, preventing batteries from overheating or combusting, and helping to extend the life of the batteries.