The laboratory will enable Recyclus Group, a 49% Technology Minerals owned company, to carry out in-house testing for both lead acid and lithium-ion (“Li-ion”) battery recycling processes.
The testing facility comprises specialised equipment including an X-ray fluorescence machine (XRF) used for measuring the elemental composition of the various battery products. This technology is especially important for examining the lead content of the lead oxide paste and the levels of sulphur which, in turn, ensures the quality of the end product.
The laboratory also houses a Gas Chromatograph with an auto sampler which - when used in conjunction with wet chemical analysis - helps to establish lithium levels and monitors the in-process products to avoid any potential contamination. The facility has fire-safe, lockable cabinets for housing all the essential analytical chemicals used in the close monitoring of both the lead and lithium recycling processes.
Commenting on the opening of the new facility Robin Brundle, Chairman of Technology Minerals, said, “The opening of a new specialised laboratory at our battery processing facility in Wolverhampton is in line with our strategy and development programme for commissioning the first of our lithium-ion plants. It is another step towards our goal to significantly increase our recycling capacity in 2022 for lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries and ultimately help enhance the UK’s capabilities for battery recycling."