Smelting is highly polluting and time consuming
Currently, conventional nickel supply relies on highly polluting, toxic processes which use carbon intensive smelting.
Smelting and refining account for over two-thirds of CO2 emissions in nickel production and produce harmful SO2. The world’s combined smelting operations accounts for 7% of all global emissions according to Forbes1,2 and can take months to refine due to the need for extensive transportation and the time requirements to smelt.
Compare the serious environmental effects of this conventional base metal extraction process with the benefits of Lifezone’s Hydromet Technology.
1 – Nickel Class 1 downstream processing CO2 eq. emissions baseline from 2020 Nickel Institute LCA. Estimated Kabanga refinery expected emissions from internal Company analysis.
2 – Expected reductions are lower for PGMs, as they utilize a more complicated flowsheet and are more energy intensive. For example, a study from EY Cova (an independent South African National Accreditation System accredited energy Measurement and Verification inspection body) found 46% lower emissions utilizing our Hydromet Technology compared to traditional smelting and refining (EY Cova studied PGM metals at the originally proposed 110 ktpa concentrate feed rate refinery at the Sedibelo plant site in South Africa under the then-applicable conditions in 2020 and assuming reagents not manufactured on-site; actual results could differ). Results will vary for specific PGM projects.
Emissions in thermal metal production
The traditional, dirty pyrometallurgical process or smelting and refining accounts for over two-thirds of CO2 emissions in nickel production. Smelting also produces harmful SO2.
Benefits of Lifezone Metals’ Hydromet Technology
Lifezone’s process produces nickel, copper and cobalt with up to 73% reduction in CO2 eq. emissions and zero SO2 emissions
reduction on CO2 and zero SO2 emissions1,2
2. Expected reductions are lower for PGMs, as they utilize a more complicated flowsheet and are more energy intensive. For example, a study from EY Cova (an independent South African National Accreditation System accredited energy Measurement and Verification inspection body) found 46% lower emissions utilizing our Hydromet Technology compared to traditional smelting and refining (EY Cova studied PGM metals at the originally proposed 110 ktpa concentrate feed rate refinery at the Sedibelo plant site in South Africa under the then-applicable conditions in 2020 and assuming reagents not manufactured on-site; actual results could differ). Results will vary for specific PGM projects.
Combatting climate change
Responsibly sourced metals will be a key factor in supporting the world’s efforts to combat climate change.
As supply chains decarbonise to provide greener, more sustainable metal and base metals like nickel to the EV and green hydrogen industries; Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) and base metals such as nickel, will be key to hydrogen production and auto-catalysts.
The decarbonisation imperative is urgent, driven by evolving global policies, regulations and frameworks – and empowered by new targets and consumer expectations.
PGMs and nickel will be key to hydrogen production and auto-catalysts.