Montreal, Quebec –News Direct– St-Georges Eco-Mining Corp.
Montreal – TheNewswire – March 18, 2022 – St-Georges Eco-Mining Corp. (CSE:SX) (CNSX:SX.CN) (OTC:SXOOF) (FSE:85G1) is pleased to provide an update on some of its metallurgical development initiatives.
EVSX management has been working on a comprehensive strategic review of its research and development initiatives related to the production and recovery of critical minerals. A comprehensive hydrogen production strategy is being developed with synergies with St-Georges Eco-Mining initiatives and opportunities for global decarbonization initiatives. In addition to the hydrogen approach, the new strategic plan revolves around the creation of three centers of excellence: nickel, lithium and fertilizers. These Centers of Excellence will leverage industries already in place and in operation that may be customers and/or suppliers for EVSX. The deliverables and objectives of the current feasibility study have been increased to reflect this new reality.
Battery recycling and metal recovery
The original location proposed for the Company’s first commercial demonstration plant in Baie-Comeau has been eliminated. The municipality is working at a rapid pace with management to obtain an option on two sites which will form part of the independent consultants’ final report. These sites cost only a fraction of the costs of the site originally proposed, are better suited to changing the metal recovery part of the process and still allow the Company to start commercial operations of its first demonstration plant in the expected deadlines. .
The Company is developing an innovative and revolutionary method to produce ready-to-sell nickel ingots from the processing of all types of nickel-cadmium batteries.
EVSX is currently reviewing the initial operations that result in the recovery of aluminum, steel, copper and carbon, with the aim of covering operational costs at this stage, leaving the Company with a black mass of nickel, cobalt and cadmium batteries for which size and recovery data were disclosed in a previous press release issued by the Company on January 13, 2022 and titled “EVSX Nickel-Cadmium Battery Recycling Results”. See press release: https://webfiles.thecse.com/SX_Press_Release_-_January_13_2022_-_EVSX_Nickel-Cadmium_Battery_Recycling_Results.pdf?ePe2BnjG0F0iCz5fatl6jgZdBnUJt1H5
Discussions are underway to secure multi-year access to large quantities of nickel-cadmium batteries and address the current multi-year backlog of this type of battery currently in storage.
The feasibility study also covers the recycling and recovery of lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. It is expected at this point that the original commercial demonstration plant will use a similar process to convert these batteries to black ground. However, the recovery of these metals will take place at a separate location where the Company plans to deploy its lithium center of excellence.
Partners, as well as potential customers and suppliers, are in discussion with management for this initiative. The sites of Saguenay (Ville de La Baie, QC), Contrecoeur (QC) and Hamilton (ON) are being examined as potential sites for these operations and are not covered by the current feasibility study.
A cost-benefit analysis for alternative locations for nickel-cadmium operations is also being conducted by the independent firm carrying out the feasibility study allowing additional flexibility for the Company and maximizing resource deployment.
Electric vehicle battery recycling and metal recovery
No significant quantities of used EV batteries will be available on the market in the short term. This was stated in the preliminary report related to the feasibility study in June 2021 and confirmed by data obtained from various sources such as aggregators, other recyclers, battery manufacturers and car manufacturers over the past ten years. last months of interaction.
The Company’s EV strategy is unchanged. The Company will continue to process these batteries in batches as they become available and will process limited quantities at its contracted pilot plant in Val-des-Sources, QC. The plant now fully commissioned should be sufficient for the current volume available and will allow the Company to showcase its capabilities to industrial partners and customers.
New Interim Patent and Intellectual Property Strategy
Four new categories of intellectual property should result in the generation of a series of new provisional patents. Some are expected to drop this month.
The categories cover these topics:
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regeneration of Nickel-Cadmium batteries;
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LiFe battery regeneration;
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nickel recovery smelting;
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Battery carbon recovery.
Other metallurgical process initiatives
A series of tests of the lithium recovery process from refractory materials such as zinnwaldite are planned for the next quarter of 2022. The source of the material is licensed and located in Quebec. Management believes that unlocking this source of lithium could create an attractive source of royalties for the Company in the future.
Spodumene concentrate is processed at the Company’s contracted pilot plant in Val-des-Sources, QC. The results of this initiative will be communicated to the public in the coming months.
The lithium-in-clay process is also nearing completion, with a final report expected by the end of Q2 2022.
“(…) St-Georges is still a small business working within the limits of a limited budget (…) over the years this has forced the management to be flexible and to be constantly on the lookout for trips to the stolen. adjustments to its commercial initiatives while keeping an open mind on the partnership. (…) we are now experiencing the benefits of this lean culture. The objective is to release in the short term a product which will be in high demand, such as the nickel ingot which should be produced with the new “cold smoked” process from nickel-cadmium batteries (…) our centers of excellence should be seen as optimized green urban mines, taking chemical and mineral by-products from our partners to reduce our operational costs, generating value-added products from waste, and limiting transportation costs and lead times. (…) The current challenges created by the global economic situation, the transition to a decarbonized economy, the scarcity of labor and the constant delays in transport and intensive supply chain operations have brought the world to us (…) we were configured to shine in this context. (…)” declared Frank Dumas, COO of the Company.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Frank Dumas
FRANCK DUMAS
Director & COO
About St-Georges Eco-Mining Corp.
St-Georges develops new technologies to solve some of the most common environmental problems in the mining sector, including maximizing metal recovery and fully recycling electric vehicle batteries. The Company explores for nickel and PGEs on the Julie Nickel Project and the Manicougan Palladium Project on the North Shore of Quebec and has several exploration projects in Iceland, including the Thor Gold Project. Based in Montreal, St-Georges shares are listed on the CSE under the symbol SX and trade on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 85G1 and on the OTCQB venture capital market for US and international start-up and development companies. . Companies are up-to-date with their declarations and submit to an annual verification and management certification process. Investors can find real-time quotes and company market information at www.otcmarkets.com
The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.
See the source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/evsx-commercial-batteries-recycling-and-nickel-metal-smelting-operation-update-623375137