Glencore, FCC and Iberdrola partner to recycle lithium-ion batteries

According to a news release from Glencore, the producer, recycler and marketer of battery metals intends to partner with FCC Ámbito and Iberdrola to provide lithium-ion battery recycling solutions at scale for Spain and Portugal through the construction of a purpose-built facility.

FCC Ámbito is a subsidiary of Madrid-based FCC Servicios Medio Ambiente, a provider of comprehensive management of industrial and commercial waste, while Bilbao, Spain-based Iberdrola is a global renewable energy leader. Through Iberdrola’s Perseo Venture Builder program, the company aims to facilitate access to the technologies of the future with a focus on sustainability.

Glencore, which is based in Switzerland, says one of its key strategic goals is accelerating the circularity of critical minerals, especially those needed for the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The parties intend to combine their respective experience and expertise to offer comprehensive recycling and second-life solutions for lithium-ion batteries, including gigafactory production scrap and end-of-life batteries, according to Glencore.

In collaboration with the Iberian Energy Storage Research Centre (CIIAE, Centro Ibérico de Investigación en Almacenamiento Energético), the intended partners have assessed existing battery recycling capabilities and feedstock availability in the region, Glencore says. They continue to work to identify the location for the recycling facility, which will be operated by FCC Ámbito and will focus on the preprocessing lithium-ion batteries and battery scrap, separating the incoming materials into distinct streams for further downstream refining and recovery of battery metals.

Battery materials recycling is expected to reach roughly 35,000 metric tons annually in Spain by 2035, including production scrap, Glencore notes in its news release.

“We are delighted to be part of this alliance on battery circularity with Iberdrola, a world leader in renewable energy, and the FCC Servicios Medio Ambiente, the leader in waste management services for Spain and Portugal,” says Kunal Sinha, global head of recycling, Glencore. “Together, we aim to leverage the individual strengths of each company to bring circularity to the lithium-ion battery ecosystem across Spain and Portugal. It also supports our ambition to grow our recycling business in new markets. We are particularly thrilled to launch this project in Spain, where Glencore has been operating one of the world’s largest zinc smelters since 1960.”

Sinha adds, “At Glencore, we view production scrap as well as postconsumer materials as a valuable resource that will help supply the increasing demand for critical metals in support of the energy transition and the world’s net zero ambition.”

María J. Kaifer, technical director and head of circular economy at FCC Ámbito, says the partnership allows FCC to pursue its strategic growth objectives, which include developing recycling solutions for materials from the energy transition. “This is one step forward in our efforts to recover the resources contained in the waste and to minimize the dependence on raw materials.”

Álvaro Portellano, global head of Perseo Venture Builder for Iberdrola, adds, “At Iberdrola, we regard this new cooperation as a valuable opportunity to continue closing the loop in the circularity of the energy transition we are helping to shape while expanding our successful collaboration with FCC that is already addressing the wind blade recycling.”

He adds, “In 2020, Iberdrola’s Perseo Venture Builder program was launched to promote the development of innovative industries, such as those involved with circular economy. In that regard, we are excited to combine that aim with the strengths and capabilities of Glencore and FCC, global leaders in the natural resources and the waste management industries, respectively, to lead the lithium-ion battery recycling in the Iberian Peninsula.”

This potential partnership is the most recent battery-related announcement from Glencore. In early 2022, Glencore and Managem, a Moroccan mining group, formed a partnershipto produce cobalt from recycled battery material at Managem’s CTT Hydrometallurgical Refinery at Guemssa, Morocco, roughly 23 miles from Marrakech. In mid-2022, the company announced that it had established long-term commercial agreements with Toronto-based Li-Cycle Holdings Corp., a lithium-ion battery recycler in North America, having invested $200 million in Li-Cycle through the purchase of a five-year convertible note. Later in 2022, Glencore announced plans to enter into a long-term supply agreement for recycled lead and key end products recovered from recycled lithium-ion batteries with Ace Green Recycling, a global recycling technology and supply chain platform with headquarters in Singapore.