Page 165 - CW E-Magazine (15-7-2025)

News from Abroad

company will actively incorporate DLE
technology in extracting lithium from
new reserves in North America and
strengthen its position in the region’s
lithium supply chain.

“The demonstration plant is part of
our investment in securing leadership
in a future core technology, which will
pave the way for the expansion of our
lithium business in North America,”
said an official from Posco Holdings.
Posco and Anson plan to broaden their
partnership to include potential joint
investment in the Green River project Posco Holdings can produce technology to extract lithium from
pending the outcomes of feasibility 68,000-tpa of lithium hydroxide, brine in preparation for a rebound in
studies, the official added. enough to power about 1.6-million EV demand.
electric vehicles, from its two lithium
Many companies have been ex- plants. It annually produces 25,000 Lithium demand is expected to in-
ploring DLE as a more efficient and tonnes of lithium from its facilities near crease to 3-mt of lithium carbonate
sustainable method than the traditional a salt lake in Argentina, which the com- equivalent (LCE) by 2030 from 1.2-mt
evaporative technology to extract lithium. pany acquired in 2018 for $280-mn. It LCE in 2024, according to Bloomberg
It takes up to 18 months to recover also produces 43,000 tonnes of lithium NEF. DLE production is expected to
lithium from brine via evaporation, but hydroxide from Korea’s first lithium increase to 526-kt LCE by 2030 from
only two weeks with DLE. hydroxide plant at the Yulchon Indus- 140-kt LCE in 2024.
trial Complex, South Jeolla province.
The Korean company said the latest SNE Research also forecasts that
investment is a part of its efforts to bol- Despite a prolonged slump in the the global lithium-ion battery materials
ster its battery materials business, one of EV market, energy resource companies market will grow to $147.6-bn in 2030
its two pillar businesses alongside steel. continue to develop and invest in DLE from $79.4-bn in 2024.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY INITIATIVE
Pekutherm and Polyvantis team up to advance

recycling of PMMA

Pekutherm Kunststoffe, a German Production waste from processors and sheet waste, suitable for extrusion
specialist in the recycling of thermo- distributors is centrally collected, then applications.
plastic materials such as acrylic glass processed by Pekutherm and returned
(polymethyl methacrylate, PMMA) and to Polyvantis as high-quality recyclate. “Recycling sorted acrylic waste
polycarbonate (PC) and Polyvantis, a The material is then used in new, sus- holds great potential for advancing
leading player in the acrylics and poly- tainable product lines such as Plexiglas industrial circularity. Together with
carbonate film and sheet industry, have proTerra sheets. Polyvantis, we are establishing a reliable
launched a joint take-back and recycling take-back system that integrates seam-
programme for Plexiglas branded acry- Pekutherm is a TÜV-certified waste lessly into existing operational work-
lic glass semi-finished waste materials. management specialist and has been flows,” said Heiko Pfister, Managing
focused on recycling technical plastics Director of Pekutherm. The take-back
The goal of this collaboration is for over 30 years. With a capacity of programme is aimed at specialised fabri-
to conserve resources, systematically around 10,000-tpa, the company pro- cators and distributors across Europe,
collect industrial waste, and return duces high-quality acrylic and polycar- helping them feed production waste
acrylic scraps to the circular economy. bonate recyclates from post-industrial back into the raw materials loop.

Chemical Weekly July 15, 2025 165

Contents Index to Advertisers Index to Products Advertised