Australia

Cobalt Blue Holdings receives $2.4 million from government to generate battery-ready cobalt sulphate

Cobalt Blue Holdings Ltd (ASX:COB) has been awarded $2.4 million in government funding for applied research and development of the processing of cobalt-pyrite ore to generate battery-ready cobalt sulphate over the next three years.

The company will receive $1.57 million of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Project – Round 8 Funding for the development and operation of its demonstration plant.

The remainder of the funds will be allocated to the University of NSW and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) for applied research on the pyrolysis stage of the metallurgical process.

“Delighted to secure funding”[hhmc]

COBs chief executive officer Joe Kaderavek said: “We are delighted to secure $2.4 million funding from the Australian Governments CRC-Projects Program to develop and optimise the processing of our cobalt-pyrite ore to battery-grade cobalt sulphate and elemental sulphur products.”

This work forms part of COBs processing technology work aimed at processing of cobalt-pyrite ore to generate cobalt sulphate for battery manufacture.

While this is primarily targeting ore from the companys Broken Hill Cobalt Project (BHCP) in Far West NSW, the work also has applications for other cobalt-pyrite ore deposits.

Sulphur another product[hhmc]

COBs work is also examining the production of elemental sulphur for use in Australian agriculture and metal processing industries.

The company is also a participant in the Future Battery Industries (FBI) CRC that was recently granted $25 million by the Australian Government.

Research collaboration[hhmc]

FBI-CRC is a $136 million industry and research collaboration that will further develop all aspects of the value chain for battery manufacture in Australia.

Together, the CRC-Project and the FBI-CRC, provide an opportunity for COB to validate and optimise the technology for processing of cobalt-pyrite ore to generate cobalt sulphate for battery manufacture and the production of elemental sulphur.

The BHCP contains cobalt present as a cobalt-pyrite mineral.

COB aims to become a long-life cobalt producer from the BHCP, producing about 4% of the annual global supply, whilst satisfying about 25% of Australian elemental sulphur trade deficit.

Project scope[hhmc]

The companys processing technology has two key components – thermal decomposition of pyrite to produce pyrrhotite and elemental sulphur, and the leaching of artificial pyrrhotite to reclaim the cobalt.

The first of these processes will be researched and improved by a select team of chemists and minerals analysis experts at UNSW Sydney, ANSTO and COB, including a team of two post-graduate researchers.

Cobalt Blue has worked with furnace manufacturer ANERGY Australia to scale-up from batch tests undertaken at ALS Metallurgy in a small furnace designed by COB, to a continuous equipment system.

To date, trialsRead More – Source

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