Outotec Oyj (Espoo, Finland; www.outotec.com) and Terrafame Ltd, a Finnish multi-metal company, have agreed on the delivery of pressure-leaching and solvent-extraction technologies for a battery chemicals plant to be built in Sotkamo, Finland. The total order value booked in the fourth quarter order intake is approximately €34 million.
Outotec has been Terrafame’s partner for development of this project during the pre-feasibility study phase. Outotec’s scope of delivery comprises the technology and engineering of the leaching and solvent extraction plants, supply of proprietary equipment, as well as advisory services for installation, training, commissioning and startup. The battery chemicals plant, expected to be ready for commissioning in 2020, will have the capacity to produce approximately 170,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of nickel sulfate and approximately 7,400 m.t./yr of cobalt sulfate to be used for batteries of electric vehicles. As a by-product, the plant will produce approximately 115,000 m.t./yr of ammonium sulfate to be used as a fertilizer and in other process industries.
“We are pleased to be Terrafame’s trusted technology partner in this project. The demand for battery chemicals is expected to grow significantly in the future, and we have the required expertise and proprietary equipment for their processing”, comments Kalle Härkki, head of Outotec’s Metals, Energy & Water business unit.