23 April 2023

Battery grade lithium carbonate produced from central Italy brine

(23 April 2024, Manchester UK) - Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’ or ‘WT’), a UK-based climate tech company specialising in critical minerals recovery, has successfully extracted lithium to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from geothermal brines. The brines were synthesised from those previously analysed at the Lazio projects of Altamin Limited AZI:ASX (‘Altamin’), an Australian publicly listed mineral exploration company. The finalisation of this laboratory testing is part of a wider collaborative project assessing historical well data and market opportunity for lithium extraction in Italy.

Watercycle has deployed its proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction and Crystallisation (DLEC™) technology to process brines representing the range of compositions from two geothermal wells from the Lazio, a province of central Italy, to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. The two synthesised brines were treated to further validate Watercycle’s DLEC™ process on brines of varied nature and composition.  This is a significant milestone in the utilization of DLEC™ beyond the UK and marks Watercycle’s contribution to Europe’s critical mineral strategic autonomy agenda.

Watercycle’s co-founder and CEO, Dr Seb Leaper said: “It’s fantastic to be working with Altamin and to have produced battery-grade lithium carbonate from two of their brines, representing the range of lithium concentrations present. The potential for Italy to become a major supplier of lithium in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective way is most interesting, and we are very excited by the prospect of bringing our technology to the market.”

Geraint Harris, Managing Director of Altamin commented: “The Altamin team completed a thorough collection, analysis and interpretation of historical data that had been dormant in Italy since the 1980’s.  One of the results of this assessment is the successful testing of Watercycle’s DLEC™  technology to be able to produce battery grade lithium carbonate crystals directly from the brines synthesised to be representative of the historical well samples. Successful development of this technology has the potential to open the door to the commercial production and sale of lithium in Italy.”

ENDS

For media enquiries about Watercycle Technologies please contact Lucie Rohani or Jac Jordan at Viva PR Lucie@vivapr.co.uk or jac@vivapr.co.uk or call 01706 214340

Watercycle Technologies contact information:

Dr Seb Leaper

CEO & Co-Founder

Watercycle Technologies Ltd

seb.leaper@watercycletechnologies.com

About Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle Technologies is a UK-based climate-tech company pioneering sustainable and circular critical mineral recovery essential for a NetZero future, creating clean drinkable water in the process. It is initially focused on two areas critical to lithium production and creating a circular economy for the global energy transition, Direct Lithium Extraction and Crystallisation (DLEC™) and the recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries and black mass (shredded batteries), working alongside major lithium producers globally. Watercycle Technologies’ scalable, modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and has a reduced environmental impact than other processes available. It’s patented advanced membranes and filtration systems can also be applied to the extraction of other critical minerals and metals from all types of water, including wastewater.

Based at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, (GEIC), Watercycle Technologies is a spin-out of the University of Manchester and is backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures.

About Altamin Limited - www.altamin.com.au

Altamin Limited is a public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX: AZI), is an exploration and development company with a mission to explore and develop brown-field mineral resources in Italy with a focus on battery metals.

The corporate goal is to produce commodities in Italy that are essential to the advancement of the EU’s energy transition goals, acting in accordance with Italy’s regulatory, environmental and operating framework for the long-term benefit of the country and all stakeholders.

Altamin has released a maiden Mineral Resource estimate for its Lazio Geothermal Lithium Project containing more than 2 Mt of LCE (lithium carbonate equivalent) and 320 Mt of SOP (sulphate of potash equivalent) and a geothermal reservoir estimate of between 140 - 350 MWe which provides the potential energy any future production processes to have a low carbon footprint.

[End of Press Release]

19 September 2023

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’, ‘WCT’, or ‘the Company’)

MoU Signed to Progress Ionic Rare Earth Extraction with Cobra Resources Plc

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (“Watercycle”), a UK based innovative deep-technology company, is pleased to announce it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (“MoU”) with Cobra Resources plc (“Cobra”), a rare earth exploration company listed on the London Stock Exchange focused on the Wudinna Project in South Australia.

The MoU between Watercycle and Cobra seeks to utilise Watercycle’s mineral extraction technology platform that is focused on developing sustainable, high-yield, mineral extraction and water treatment systems. The objective of the partnership is to collaborate on sustainable rare earth (“REE”) extraction via membrane desorption and filtration.

The MoU is the first step in forming a partnership to progress REE extraction from Cobra’s Boland ionic REE discovery at Wudinna, where  innovation and flowsheet development will form the basis of commercialisation.

Watercycle, which is based in Manchester, UK, has developed a highly experienced technical team, with access to world class facilities and a proven record of innovative ISR mineral extraction design. Through early engagement, Cobra endeavours to fast-track testing to a pilot-scale study, whilst exploring value add opportunities. Through this partnership, Cobra intends to examine alternative approaches to REE extraction that suit Cobra’s REE mineral occurrence.

Sebastian Leaper, CEO of Watercycle, commented:

“The metallurgical results from Cobra’s Boland discovery demonstrate high recoveries using weak acids. Coupled with the preferred mining method of ISR, this project aligns with our ambition to enable the sourcing of critical minerals with the lowest possible environmental impact. On the back of our success in lithium extraction from geothermal brines, we are excited to demonstrate the applicability of our DLEC™ technologies to other critical minerals such as rare earths.”

*DLEC ™ – Direct Lithium Extraction & Crystallisation process

Rupert Verco, CEO of Cobra, commented:

“Cobra’s immediate priority is building upon our recent metallurgical results to ensure the rapid advancement of the Boland ionic REE discovery, Australia’s only ionic REE deposit with in situ recovery potential.

As such, we are very excited to be working with Watercycle who share similar ambitions to create value through the extraction of critical minerals through sustainable practices. What Sebastian Leaper and the team at Watercycle have managed to achieve in the development of DLEC™ technologies for lithium extraction from groundwater is industry-leading and has direct applications to REE desorption extraction, purification, and product generation.

What we want to achieve through collaboration is an optimised approach to REE extraction that suits our unique REE mineral occurrence. This will ultimately condense the time between discovery and decision to mine. We will initially be sending samples over to the UK and subsequently expect Watercycle will be involved in the pilot study at Wudinna.”

**ENDS**

For further details visit www.watercycletechnologies.com or contact:

Isabelle Schenk

Head of Strategic Projects & Development

Watercycle Technologies Ltd

isabelle.schenk@watercycletechnologies.com

NOTES:

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy.

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories.

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water.

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation.

About Cobra – www.cobraplc.com

Cobra is defining a unique multi-mineral resource at the Wudinna Project in South Australia's Gawler Craton, a tier one mining and exploration jurisdiction which hosts several world-class mines. Cobra's Wudinna tenements totalling 1,832 km2, and other nearby tenement rights totalling 1,429 km2, contain highly desirable and ionic rare earth mineralisation, amenable to low-cost, low impact in situ recovery mining, and critical to global decarbonisation.

Cobra’s Wudinna tenements also contain extensive orogenic gold mineralisation and are characterised by potentially open-pitable, high-grade gold intersections, with ready access to infrastructure. Cobra has 22 orogenic gold targets outside of the current 279,000 Oz gold JORC Mineral Resource Estimate .

12 May 2023

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’, ‘WCT’, or ‘the Company’)

Produces Lithium Carbonate From Geothermal Brines In The North East Of England

A UK company fuelling the battery revolution in the UK

Watercycle Technologies Ltd, a UK deep tech company focused on developing sustainable, high-yield, low-cost, mineral extraction and water treatment systems, has for the first time, successfully produced lithium carbonate from naturally occurring geothermal brines in the North East of England.  This represents a major step forward in the UK’s ambitions to produce a domestic supply of lithium to power the domestic energy transition and the UK Government’s goals of achieving net zero.

At its laboratory in The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (‘GEIC’) in Manchester, the Company applied its proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction & Crystallisation process ('DLEC™) to successfully produced lithium carbonate crystals from brines, extracted from Weardale Lithium Limited’s (‘Weardale’) existing geothermal boreholes at Eastgate, in County Durham. 

The DLEC™ process selectively removes lithium ions from complex brines using mixed matrix hollow fibre adsorption membranes followed by concentration, polishing and crystallisation stages. It is a low-impact, low-carbon and low-water usage method of extracting lithium from brines which Weardale intend to augment using power from renewable energy sources. Being an end-to-end solution enables resource owners to extract the highest possible value from a resource. By working with an end-to-end technology provider, it is not necessary to negotiate multiple contracts with several companies that only offer one part of the process. In addition, it negates the need to ship lithium concentrates for refinement elsewhere. Shipping concentrates (comprised largely of water) is expensive and increases the travel miles of the product.

Lithium is a critical raw material utilised in the production of electric vehicle batteries. In order to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and meet net-zero targets, the UK needs a secure supply of lithium as there is currently no commercial lithium production or refining in the UK or Europe. Consequently, this is a significant milestone as it advances the possibility of producing domestic lithium and in turn advancing an integrated battery-supply chain industrial hub in the North East of England. Lithium produced and refined in the UK will confer transportation cost advantages, supply assurances and an environmental-premium over foreign suppliers.

This milestone enables Weardale to progress its step-wise plans for scaling up trials of lithium extraction using the DLE technologies of Watercycle Technologies, supporting and enabling the investment decision for the construction and operation of a pilot-demonstration plant for test-scale production of lithium. The modular pilot-demonstration facility will be located on the brownfield, former cement works at Eastgate. Commercial production of approximately 10,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year is being targeted which has the potential to directly generate around 125 new full-time, highly skilled jobs. At commercial scale, Weardale estimates that £1bn of gross economic value could be generated for the North East region.

Dr. Seb Leaper, CEO of Watercycle Technologies said: “These positive results on lithium carbonate extraction are fantastic news.  By utilising our propriety membrane technology, we are the first company to produce lithium carbonate from brines in the North East. Importantly our ground-breaking DLEC™ technology produces zero waste, is water-neutral and requires 95% less land than conventional lithium extraction processes. Furthermore, once the extraction has taken place, all that will be left after operations are a few manhole covers and so the natural beauty of the Weardale region will be preserved for future generations. Net zero transition is fundamentally impossible with existing supplies of critical minerals yet traditional modes of extracting them are themselves environmentally damaging. Our technology can put the UK at the forefront of the sustainable mineral recovery industry and become a major contributor to future economic growth.”

Watercycle co-founder and CTO Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim added, “Our technology has taken years of development and these successful results with Weardale, underpin the efficacy of our DLEC™ solution. With Weardale we believe we can make a huge difference to providing economic benefits in a truly environmental fashion, which underpin our business model.  Furthermore, we are not only successfully partnering with lithium brine developers, but we are also making fantastic headway in the extraction of multiple critical minerals from spent batteries. Indeed, we recently produced commercial grade lithium carbonate and graphite from black mass.  These are exciting times, and we look forward to working with our partners and delivering high tech mineral extraction solutions.” 

Stewart Dickson, CEO of Weardale Lithium, said: “The supply of domestic lithium is of strategic importance to the UK’s net zero ambitions and production of high-value batteries for electric vehicles.  Utilising Watercycle’s technology, we have taken a significant step forward in establishing that the naturally occurring geothermal brines are amenable for lithium production and validated a number of direct lithium extraction processes.  We look forward to working with the Watercycle team in scaling up and accelerating the testing of increased volumes of brine towards first production.”

**ENDS**

For further details visit www.watercycletechnologies.com or contact:

Dr Seb Leiper, CEO, seb.leaper@watercycletechnologies.com

Isabelle Schenk, Head of Strategic Projects & Development, isabelle.schenk@watercycletechnologies.com

NOTES

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy.

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories.

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water.

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation.

About Weardale Lithium

Weardale Lithium Limited is an innovative natural resources company seeking to provide a secure and sustainable, domestic supply of lithium with associated geothermal energy from underground brines in County Durham, UK.

There is no lithium production in the UK and Europe despite a significant market opportunity and rising demand. Working with key strategic partners to develop a regional and national battery-metal supply chain, Weardale Lithium will support the "net-zero" ambitions of the UK. 

The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) - www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/geic

GEIC helps companies develop and launch new technologies, products and processes that exploit the remarkable properties of graphene and other 2D materials.  Its world class facilities and resources, housed in the Masdar Building, are supported by experienced and knowledgeable applications engineers and internationally renowned academics, working across a broad range of novel technologies and applications. Together, it can help design, develop, scale and ‘de-risk’ the next generation of innovative products and processes.

2 May 2023

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’, ‘WCT’, or ‘the Company’)

Lithium Carbonate & Graphite Recovered from Black Mass

UK First & Major Boost to UK EV Battery Recycling

Watercycle Technologies Ltd, a UK based startup, has, for the first time, recovered commercial grade lithium carbonate and graphite from black mass, a solid black powder containing a complex mixture of metals and impurities recovered from the recycling of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. Conducted in partnership with globally renowned precious metal recovery specialists RSBruce, the test work on 1 kg of Black Mass validates the Watercycle’s ground-breaking technology and underpins the major contribution that deep tech university spin outs are playing in championing the UK’s ambitions for the energy transition and the attainment of a circular economy.

HIGHLIGHTS

·        Watercycle’s technology proven to recover commercial grade critical minerals from black mass found in end-of-life lithium-ion batteries:

o   Lithium carbonate

o   Graphite

o   Cobalt, nickel, and manganese

·        Advancing partnership with RSBruce to develop a tonnage-scale field trial to fulfil Watercycle’s strategy to deliver the UK’s first environmental solution to critical mineral recycling and supply.

·        Marks the first step forward in commercialising Watercycle’s DLECTM technology.

Watercycle co-founder and CTO Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim said, “Manchester has an unparalleled history of innovations that have shaped the world. Just as the Industrial Revolution gave rise to the modern age, the transition to a circular economy will give rise to the sustainable age. We at Watercycle are making headway in this transition by being the first company in the UK to extract both lithium carbonate and graphite from spent lithium-ion batteries.”

These results demonstrate that our ground-breaking technology can recycle critical minerals from black mass cost-effectively, sustainably and with little waste.  We expected to produce high grade lithium carbonate but the addition of the recovery of nearly 100% graphite is extremely exciting and a potential game-changer. Graphite represents between 30-40% of the minerals in an EV battery and the demand forecasts, as with lithium, are extremely pronounced as the world looks to decarbonise.”

Watercycle co-founder and CEO Dr Seb Leaper added, “The battery recycling market is estimated to grow from USD 17.2 billion in 2020 to USD 23.2 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2020 to 2025.  There is therefore a fantastic commercial opportunity for companies that can recycle black mass and, having proven that we can extract multiple high-grade materials, we can now not only potentially generate significant revenue but also aid the transition towards a circular economy.”

RSBruce Battery Recycling Business Manager Sam Haig said, “We are very pleased with these ground-breaking results, which demonstrate the potential to increase material recovery from end-of-life batteries and ensure a reliable harvest of valuable raw materials for battery manufacturing.  Accordingly, we look forward to continuing the collaboration with Watercycle and are now exploring plans to develop a pilot plant project.”

DETAILS

Testing & Results

As part of Watercycle’s development strategy, in collaboration with RSBruce, a globally renowned expert in precious metal recovery based in Sheffield, a Feasibility Study was undertaken aimed at maximising the recovery of graphite and lithium carbonate from spent batteries that can then be utilised in the EV supply chain for a UK best-in-class environmental solution to critical mineral recycling and supply.

Test work was carried out on 1 kg of Black Mass supplied by RSBruce – this is a solid powder containing a mixture of metals and impurities recovered from the recycling of end-of-life Lithium-ion batteries. The composition of the Black Mass consisted mainly of cobalt, nickel, manganese, and lithium, while also containing noticeable amounts of iron, aluminium, and copper. Based on analysis, the Black Mass contained graphite with a percentage up to 40%.

Black Mass samples were prepared for analysis, characterised, and treated using Watercycle’s proprietary membrane filtration process to recover graphite, lithium carbonate and a residual black mass solution comprising nickel, manganese, and cobalt in three separate streams. The lithium rich solution produced was then processed through Watercycle’s lithium extraction and crystallisation process with the resultant crystals then characterised with X-ray diffraction (‘XRD’) and compared to a commercial product.

The results demonstrate the significant opportunity to recover value-added products from Black Mass processing using Watercycle’s system. Notably, Watercycle’s system is more cost and environmentally friendly than its competitors due to its multistep extraction process that enables high value by-products to be recovered that can either be sold on or reused and can thereby offset the cost of reagents in the wider process. 

Under the terms of the Agreement with RSBruce, having successfully completed the Feasibility Study, Watercycle and RSBruce are now working towards finalising plans for the development of a pilot plant. 

**ENDS**

For further details visit www.watercycletechnologies.com or contact:

Isabelle Schenk, Head of Strategic Projects & Development,Watercycle Technologies Ltd, isabelle.schenk@watercycletechnologies.com

Hugo de Salis, Lepanto Consultancy Ltd, hugo@lepanto.co.uk

NOTES

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy. 

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories. 

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water. 

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation. 

The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) - www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/geic

GEIC helps companies develop and launch new technologies, products and processes that exploit the remarkable properties of graphene and other 2D materials.  Its world class facilities and resources, housed in the Masdar Building, are supported by experienced and knowledgeable applications engineers and internationally renowned academics, working across a broad range of novel technologies and applications. Together, it can help design, develop, scale and ‘de-risk’ the next generation of innovative products and processes. 

RSBruce Metals and Machinery Ltd

RSBruce, founded in 1974 in Sheffield, England, specialises in the recovery and processing of precious and valuable metals.  Operating globally to recover precious and valuable metal resources from chemical plants and equipment, parts, electronics, and both solid and liquid wastes, the company prides itself on playing a key role in the innovation of the techniques used for the removal, recovery, and recycling of precious metals.  In 2021, RSBruce established the UK’s first commercial lithium-ion battery recycling facility and is investing in an increased capacity facility, opening Q2 2023.

19 April 2023

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’ or ‘the Company’)

Lead Battery Recycling Engineer joins Watercycle’s technical team

''Watercycle Technologies is pleased to welcome Associate Professor Dr. Adel Abdelkader as a Lead Battery Recycling Engineer. Adel will be heading up our technical team and developing our battery recycling technology. Adel's experience in extracting value-added products from solid wastes as well as a strong chemistry background will be of great value to WCT. Adel has over 15 years of experience in conversion waste to value-added products through a wide range of technologies. He completed his PhD in physical chemistry (Heterogenous Catalysis) in a channel program between South Valley University in Egypt and Queen's University Belfast in UK''.

Welcome to the Team Adel!

01 March 2023

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’ or ‘the Company’)

Lead Chemical Engineer joins Watercycle’s technical team

Watercycle Technologies is pleased to welcome Dr. Bahare Tamaddondar as a new full-time member of the team. Bahare first joined Watercycle Technologies as a part time Chemical Engineer in July 2022 during her postdoctoral research as a KTP associate at the University of Manchester.  As our new Lead Chemical Engineer, Bahare will be heading up our technical team and develop our membranes and mineral extraction materials.  Bahare has over seven years of experience in design and testing of membranes for both gas and liquid separation processes.  She completed her PhD in polymer chemistry at the University of Manchester, where she worked on membrane-based processes for CO2 capture.

 “We are very happy Bahare is with us full time now and with her on board we have a critical addition to the team that will help us develop our technology and the company into the next phase of growth.”- Seb Leaper, CEO

 24 February 2022

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’ or ‘the Company’)

Agreement with Energia Minerals (Italia) Srl

To Test DLE & Crystallization System on Italian Geothermal Lithium Bearing Brines

Manchester based Watercycle Technologies Ltd, a deep tech company focused on developing sustainable, high-yield, low-cost, mineral extraction, and water treatment systems, has signed an agreement (‘the Agreement’) with Energia Minerals (Italia) (‘Energia’) Srl, a subsidiary of ASX listed Altamin Limited, to produce lithium carbonate from its Galería EL geothermal brine projects in the Lazio Region of Central Italy.   

Watercycle’s patented Direct Lithium Extraction and Crystallisation (‘DLEC’) process is proven to selectively extract lithium from sub-surface waters/brines.  Currently being piloted in the South West of England in tandem with Cornish Lithium, the system can treat a wide range of water types and deliver dramatic reductions in costs, carbon emissions and water consumption compared with DLE current processes. 

Under the terms of the Agreement, Watercycle will test brines extracted from Energia’s borehole in Italy to understand their composition, fabricate dedicated membranes, process a quantity of the brine using its DLEC technology, and analyse the resulting lithium-rich solution and the de-lithiated brine. The final stage, which is a key differentiator compared to standard DLE solutions, will see Watercycle process the lithium-rich solution to produce lithium carbonate salts that can then be characterised to gather structural and chemical information as well as the chemical purity and recovery rate of the lithium salt.  If successful, the two parties will explore the potential for initiating large scale pilot testing in Italy.

Watercycle CEO Dr Seb Leaper said, “We are delighted to be working with Energia, which has recognised the potential of our unique approach to lithium extraction from brines. This agreement is a further validation of our proprietary membranes and processes, which are gaining increasing traction both nationally and internationally. As each brine has different characteristics, our development model is focused on testing multiple brines to further prove the efficacy of our technology and ability to deliver local, sustainable, and cost-effective supplies of  lithium and other critical minerals required for the green energy transition.”  

Watercycle co-founder and CTO Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim added, “Our technology has taken years of development both within the University of Manchester and now within Watercycle, the vehicle that is advancing its development and implementing the commercialisation strategy.  As well as partnering with lithium brine developers, we are also accelerating work focused on the extraction of multiple critical minerals including cobalt and graphite from spent batteries and the utilisation of our processes in desalination.  I look forward to announcing further progress as we rapidly develop the business and deliver commercial, sustainable solutions to the mineral extraction market.” 

 **ENDS**

For further details visit www.watercycletechnologies.com or contact:

Isabelle Schenk ,Head of Strategic Projects & Development, Watercycle Technologies Ltd

isabelle.schenk@watercycletechnologies.com

Hugo de Salis, Lepanto Consultancy Ltd, hugo@lepanto.co.uk

NOTES

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy.

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories.

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water.

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation.

The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) - www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/geic

GEIC helps companies develop and launch new technologies, products and processes that exploit the remarkable properties of graphene and other 2D materials.  Its world class facilities and resources, housed in the Masdar Building, are supported by experienced and knowledgeable applications engineers and internationally renowned academics, working across a broad range of novel technologies and applications. Together, it can help design, develop, scale and ‘de-risk’ the next generation of innovative products and processes.

2 February 2023

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’ or ‘the Company’)

Operational Update

Manchester, UK based Watercycle Technologies Ltd, a deep tech company focused on developing sustainable, high-yield, low-cost, mineral extraction and water treatment systems, is pleased to announce an operational update as it advances the commercialisation of its deep technology IP.  

With a focus on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation, as well as cost efficiency and reduced carbon emissions, the Watercycle team is developing critical applications that can filter and clean water across multiple industries, producing saleable and valuable commodities such as lithium and other high-value metals in the process. 

2022 was a very positive year for Watercycle as it achieved multiple commercial and corporate milestones, Intellectual Property development and reenforced its position in all three of its target market sectors: Direct Lithium Extraction & Crystallisation or DLEC™; battery recycling; and desalination. 

At its laboratories at The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (‘GEIC’), Watercycle successfully developed a lithium salt precipitation and crystallisation process that enabled it to pursue its strategy of identifying and signing partners to conduct field testing of its DLEC™ process. In line with this, the Board signed an agreement with Cornish Lithium Ltd, backed by a £500,000 grant from Innovate UK Smart Grant, to deliver a containerised filtration system to extract lithium from their geothermal brine project in Cornwall at a pilot scale.  The project, which includes an environmental impact assessment, is anticipated to complete in Q3 2023. 

The Company is in discussions with a number of other partners, both in the UK and internationally, to advance its strategy of piloting its end-to-end lithium extraction system and use it in conjunction with lithium brines from different sources. Being an end-to-end solution enables resource owners to extract the highest possible value from a resource. By working with an end-to-end technology provider, it is not necessary to negotiate multiple contracts with several companies that only offer one part of the process. In addition, it negates the need to ship lithium concentrates for refinement elsewhere. Shipping concentrates (comprised largely of water) is expensive and increases the travel miles of the product. Watercycle’s model is to operate in partnership with resource companies, co-develop projects, and share the economic benefits from resultant production that would not otherwise be possible.

The second initial pillar to the business is battery recycling and again, excellent progress has been made recently.  In Q4 2022, testing to extract lithium, graphite, and other valuable by-products from spent batteries started with first extraction of lithium from ‘Black Mass’ using its proprietary filtration process achieved.  Black Mass' is a type of e-waste comprising crushed and shredded End of Life battery cells and is obtained once a battery has been processed for recycling; it contains mixtures of valuable metals including lithium, manganese, cobalt and nickel. 

Watercycle’s technology can recover a high percentage of lithium that exists in spent batteries and ensures zero-waste.  Operating after the sorting and shredding phase in the leaching and refining stage of the process, it can take mixed black mass and apply a chemical extraction process to recover lithium.  Once extracted, it can then crystallise the lithium solution into a high value salt. The system is more cost and environmentally friendly than its competitors. This is due to its multistep extraction process that enables high value by-products to be recovered that can either be sold on or reused and can thereby offset the cost of reagents in the wider process. The Company is targeting battery recyclers, whether that is dedicated recycling plants or recycling facilities within gigafactories.

The need for mineral recycling is crucial for the globe to achieve net zero and the Board is extremely confident that its technology will assist in facilitating an increase in recycling.  The battery recycling market is estimated to grow from USD 17.2 billion in 2020 to USD 23.2 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2020 to 2025[1].

Thirdly, the application of its technology within the desalination space has also been advanced with a number of potential significant customer opportunities. The Company's technology can be applied to extract valuable critical minerals from the brine (or wastewater) produced in desalination and is therefore attracting interest from potential customers in the desalination sector. Naturally occurring water supplies are becoming increasingly depleted around the world; there is a clear need for water purification technology. The global water desalination equipment market size was estimated at USD 15.53 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4% from 2023 to 2030.

On a wider level, and in line with its active patent protection strategy, the Company continues to submit and gain grants of patents. This ensures that its IP and core technology, based on the design of membrane based mineral extraction and crystallisation systems and components within it, are protected, as it moves to commercialisation.

As part of its corporate development strategy the Company has forged strong relationships with various bodies for the securing of further grant funding, which it hopes to provide further details on in the coming months. Additionally, Watercycle has secured the services of corporate venture firm, Aer Ventures https://aerventures.uk/ with regards to raising further capital to accelerate the execution of its commercialisation strategy.

Watercycle co-founder and CTO Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim said, “Watercycle is an innovative, sustainability-driven company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction technologies and water treatment systems to aid the transition towards a Circular Economy.  We have made excellent progress in all three target arenas, being Direct Lithium Extraction & Crystallisation or DLEC™, battery recycling and desalination and continue to further develop our technology as we enter the commercialisation phase of our strategy. These are exciting times, and we look forward to announcing further developments in the near future as we solidify our position as a leading UK mineral extraction and water filtration company.”  

Watercycle co-founder and CEO Dr Seb Leaper added, “Our core technology spans selective mineral extraction, concentration, and crystallisation; this end-to-end solution to lithium extraction from brines places us at a distinct advantage to our competitors.  The commercial opportunity to target in particular lithium bearing brines around the world is clearly evident as well as the environmental applications in battery recycling and desalination. 

“We have a diverse team with strong scientific, technical, and commercial expertise to drive the business forward, an IP portfolio spanning the entire technology used, and a focus on R&D to align with the progress in the science.  With developments on all fronts and an advisory network in place, 2023 will be transformative.”

**ENDS**

For further details visit www.watercycletechnologies.com or contact:

Isabelle Schenk
Head of Strategic Projects & Development
Watercycle Technologies Ltd
isabelle.schenk@watercycletechnologies.com

NOTES

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy.

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories.

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water.

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation.

The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) - www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/geic

GEIC helps companies develop and launch new technologies, products and processes that exploit the remarkable properties of graphene and other 2D materials.  Its world class facilities and resources, housed in the Masdar Building, are supported by experienced and knowledgeable applications engineers and internationally renowned academics, working across a broad range of novel technologies and applications. Together, it can help design, develop, scale and ‘de-risk’ the next generation of innovative products and processes.

[1] Battery Recycling Market Share, Size, Trends (marketsandmarkets.com).

2 Grand View Research

20 November 2022

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’ or ‘the Company’)

Patent Update

 Manchester based Watercycle Technologies Ltd, a pioneering critical minerals and water filtration specialist, is pleased to announce that it has successfully submitted six patent applications and been granted one surrounding the Company’s deep tech mineral extraction and water treatment systems.

Watercycle has an active patent protection strategy. This ensures that its IP and core technology based on the design of membrane based mineral extraction and crystallisation systems and components within it are protected, as it moves to commercialisation.  The markets currently being targeted are mineral extraction from brines and other concentrated mediums, battery recycling and desalination.  The latest applications are focussed on Direct Lithium Extraction and Crystallization (DLEC), as well as its shell and tube module, desalination hybrid process, Black Mass treatment process, mineral extraction membrane operation and lithium salt precipitation.

Watercycle co-founder and CEO Dr Seb Leaper said, “Our core technology spans selective mineral extraction, concentration, and crystallisation, and we are currently targeting the three key sectors of lithium mining, battery recycling and desalination.  However, our IP is also highly applicable to other industries such as agriculture, textiles, power generation and food and beverage, translating into the ability to create advanced systems that can be applied to most concentred fluids where the by-product is clean water.  Our IP is fundamental to our commercial success, and we are taking every step possible to ensure it is protected as we rapidly advance to the commercial testing of multiple products and applications.”

**ENDS**

For further details visit www.watercycletechnologies.com or contact:

Isabelle Schenk

Head of Strategic Projects & Development

Watercycle Technologies Ltd

isabelle.schenk@watercycletechnologies.com

NOTES

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy.

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories.

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water.

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation.

02/11/2022 Transforming Lithium Extraction in the UK in partnership with Cornish Lithium & Innovate UK

Manchester based Watercycle Technologies Ltd, a pioneering critical minerals and water filtration specialist operating from the world class facilities at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, is delighted to announce that it has been granted a £500,000 Innovate UK Smart Grant, in partnership with Cornish Lithium Ltd, to test its ground-breaking direct lithium extraction (‘DLE’) process in Cornwall.

Watercycle’s patented filtration process can selectively extract lithium from sub-surface waters, such as those found in the Southwest of the UK. Given lithium’s essential role in battery technologies, the ability to obtain it from waters cost effectively and establish a domestic supply of the mineral is vital for the UK’s Net-Zero strategy. 

Under the terms of the agreement, Watercycle will deliver a containerised filtration system to extract lithium from Cornish Lithium’s project in Cornwall at a pilot scale. The project, which includes an environmental impact assessment, is anticipated to complete in October 2023.  

Watercycle CEO Dr Seb Leaper said, “Having already proven that our proprietary filtration membranes and systems work in lab conditions, we are excited to be working with Cornish Lithium to demonstrate their scalability and accelerate the creation of a resilient, domestic lithium supply chain in the UK.  This agreement marks the next step in our development strategy as we look at the commercialisation of our technology, which is capable of treating a wide range of water types and can deliver dramatic reductions in costs, carbon emissions and water consumption compared with current processes.”

Watercycle co-founder and CTO Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim added, “It is great to be working with like-minded partners, Cornish Lithium and Innovate UK, which, like us, are focused on making a positive impact on the global transition through advancing innovative technologies. Lithium is a critical element with EV demand set to grow 418% from 468 GWh this year to 2.4 TWh by 2030 and we are delighted to be part of that chain, offering a British solution to the challenge of primary lithium production, which is the first link within the wider EV supply chain. 

Lead Geochemist Dr Rebecca Paisley at Cornish Lithium said, “Cornish Lithium is keen to support projects from UK-based universities, and the companies commercialising them, which we believe have the potential to be both game changing and contribute to the UK’s Net Zero strategy. Working with Watercycle in the development of a pilot system aligns strongly with our Research and Innovation strategy, as well as our continued efforts to trial multiple DLE technologies at pilot scale in Cornwall to establish the most effective and responsible process flow sheet. We have a good relationship with the Watercycle team and look forward to progressing the project over the next 12 months.”

For further details contact:

NOTES

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy.  

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories. 

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water. 

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation. 

Cornish Lithium Ltd – www.cornishlithium.com

Cornish Lithium is a pioneering mineral exploration and development company focused on the environmentally responsible extraction of lithium from geothermal waters and hard rock in the historic mining district of Cornwall. The Company has secured agreements with the owners of mineral rights over a large area of the County and is using modern technology to re-evaluate the region for its potential to produce lithium and other vital technology metals in a low carbon and low impact manner. A secure domestic supply of such metals is considered vital to the industrial strategy of the UK as it moves towards Net-Zero 2050 and the production of electric vehicles. 

Innovate UK Smart Grant - www.ukri.org/councils/innovate-uk/

Smart is Innovate UK's responsive grant funding programme. It has focused eligibility criteria and scope to support SMEs and their partners to develop disruptive innovations with significant potential for rapid, economic return to the UK. 

The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) - www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/geic

GEIC helps companies develop and launch new technologies, products and processes that exploit the remarkable properties of graphene and other 2D materials.  Its world class facilities and resources, housed in the Masdar Building, are supported by experienced and knowledgeable applications engineers and internationally renowned academics, working across a broad range of novel technologies and applications. Together, it can help design, develop, scale and ‘de-risk’ the next generation of innovative products and processes.

23 October 2022

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’ or ‘the Company’)

Develops Desalination Process

Manchester based Watercycle Technologies Ltd, a pioneering critical minerals and water filtration specialist, is pleased to announce that it developed an advanced desalination process utilising its sustainable, high-yield, low-cost, mineral extraction and water treatment systems.

The Company’s strategy is to deliver profitable commercial solutions centred on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation.  Its IP is already being used to extract high value minerals from concentred solutions such as lithium from groundwater brines. The application of the technology within the desalination arena represents the next step in the Company’s corporate development strategy which also includes utilising its processes to successfully extract lithium from Black Mass in the battery recycling arena.

The global water desalination equipment market was valued at USD7.22 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.0% between 2022 and 2030.  Naturally occurring water supplies are becoming increasingly depleted around the world, translating into a clear need for water purification technology. 

Watercycle co-founder and CTO Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim said, “Our team recognises the threat that conflict and climate change pose to water security across the board.  There is a huge opportunity for energy efficient, low emission, environmentally conscious desalination processes such as ours, with sea water and brines becoming increasingly more important to global potable water supply.  Our desalination process is now proven, and we are actively pursuing partnership both corporates and governments to expedite its development commercially.”

**ENDS**

For further details visit www.watercycletechnologies.com or contact:

Isabelle Schenk
Head of Strategic Projects & Development
Watercycle Technologies Ltd
isabelle.schenk@watercycletechnologies.com

NOTES

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy.

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories.

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water.

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation.

22/08/2022 Watercycle Technologies CTO, Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim meets with the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities

Press released by Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Ministry of Housing Utilities and Urban Communities (Translated from the original Press release in the Egyptian journals نائب وزير الإسكان يلتقي مسئول إحدى الشركات المتخصصة في تكنول | مصراوى (masrawy.com) and https://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/6233203).

"Dr. Sayed Ismail, Deputy Minister of Housing for Infrastructure, met Dr. Ahmed Abdelkarim, Co-founder and CTO of Watercycle Technologies. Dr Abdelkarim leads Watercycle’s research and development at Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre at the University of Manchester, England. 

During the meeting, Dr. Ahmed Abdelkarim presented how Watercycle Technologies could introduce its technology in Egypt to sustain and develop high-productivity and low-cost mineral extraction systems using patented lithium brine treatment technologies. The technology is using renewable energy, including geothermal, wind and solar energy in an eco-friendly and low-cost manner, to meet the growing demands of the battery industry and in order to move towards the circular economy. 

At the end of the meeting, Dr. Sayed Ismail stated, that the Egyptian government is currently working on fostering the talent of Egyptians by investing in human resources and following up with the Egyptians abroad. In light of that, Dr Sayed Ismail has confirmed that Watercycle’s technology will be presented to the scientific committee in Egypt to study and understand, how to apply and benefit from it in the development of the Egyptian economy.

10 August 2022

Watercycle Technologies Ltd (‘Watercycle’ or ‘the Company’)

Successful development of lithium salt precipitation process

Manchester based Watercycle Technologies Ltd, a pioneering critical minerals and water filtration specialist, is pleased to announce that it has developed a unique lithium salt precipitation process to complement its portfolio of high value mineral extraction technologies based on taking water in through capillary membranes, converting the minerals into usable formats, and producing water vapour as a by-product. 

The Board envisages Watercycle as the first Direct Lithium Extraction (‘DLE’) and Crystallisation company in the UK to produce high-grade Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (‘LCE’) and Lithium Hydroxide (‘LiOH’) from UK brines.  Notably, while the lithium chloride solution produced from the selective extraction step is concentrated, the Company’s ability to then crystallise the minerals provides a cost and time efficient end-to-end system; this is a key differentiator to Watercycle’s competitors.

Watercycle co-founder and CEO Dr Seb Leaper said, “Our core technology spans selective mineral extraction, concentration, and crystallisation; this end-to-end solution to lithium extraction from brines places us at a distinct advantage to our competitors.  The commercial opportunity to target lithium bearing brines around the world is clearly evident and we are aiming to work closely with project owners to pilot and commercialise our IP.”

**ENDS**

For further details visit www.watercycletechnologies.com or contact:

Isabelle Schenk

Head of Strategic Projects & Development

Watercycle Technologies Ltd

isabelle.schenk@watercycletechnologies.com

NOTES

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy.

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories.

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water.

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation.

First extraction of Lithium from Black Mass

Manchester based Watercycle Technologies Ltd, a pioneering critical minerals and water filtration specialist, is pleased to announce that it has successfully extracted lithium from ‘Black Mass’ using its

proprietary filtration process.  Black Mass' is a type of e-waste comprising crushed and shredded End of Life battery cells and is obtained once a battery has been processed for recycling.  It contains mixtures of valuable metals including lithium, manganese, cobalt and nickel.

The recent tests at the Company’s laboratories in Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester UK, have proved Watercycle’s technology can recover a high percentage of lithium and other minerals from Black Mass, whilst delivering valuable by-products to ensure zero-waste. Operating after the sorting and shredding phase in the leaching and refining stage of the battery recycling process, the process can take mixed black mass and apply its chemical extraction process to recover lithium.  Once extracted, the process can then crystallise the lithium solution into a high value salt.

Importantly the Company can deal with multi mineral solutions; its systems being designed to extract a selected mineral whilst keeping others away. Its tailored membranes can extract specific minerals due to the chemical structure of the membrane additive something important within the recycling arena.

Watercycle CEO Dr Seb Leaper said, “Our proprietary filtration membranes and systems have enabled us to extract lithium from black mass, which underpins our drive into the battery recycling arena.  We believe our system is more cost and environmentally friendly than our competitors due to its multistep extraction process, which enables high value by-products to be recovered that can either be sold on or reused and can thereby offset the cost of reagents in the wider process.”

**ENDS**

For further details visit www.watercycletechnologies.com or contact:

Isabelle Schenk

Head of Strategic Projects & Development

Watercycle Technologies Ltd

isabelle.schenk@watercycletechnologies.com

NOTES

Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com

Watercycle, spun out from the University of Manchester and backed by business accelerator Aer Ventures, is an innovative, sustainability-driven deep tech company focused on developing high-yield, low-cost mineral extraction, and water treatment systems. Its advanced innovative membrane distillation-crystallisation (‘MDC’) technology is capable of treating highly concentrated water and is initially being utilised in lithium production from sub surface water and brines, as well as lithium-ion spent battery recycling, particularly relevant with regards to the current global transition towards a Circular Economy.

The Company is operating from the world class facilities at the Masdar Building at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, enabling the team to conduct critical R&D in state-of-the-art laboratories.

The Company’s patented membranes and systems are being developed and optimised by its UK and international R&D team led by Dr Seb Leaper and Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim to target industries including mining, desalination, agriculture, textiles, and food & beverage.  Importantly, the modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and carbon emissions with one of the important by product being fresh potable water.

Watercycle has a strong ethics-based business model that delivers profitable commercial solutions that are also focused on sustainability, environmental protection, and remediation.

The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) - www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/geic

GEIC helps companies develop and launch new technologies, products and processes that exploit the remarkable properties of graphene and other 2D materials.  Its world class facilities and resources, housed in the Masdar Building, are supported by experienced and knowledgeable applications engineers and internationally renowned academics, working across a broad range of novel technologies and applications. Together, it can help design, develop, scale and ‘de-risk’ the next generation of innovative products and processes.

24/05/2022 Watercycle Technologies completes its pre-seed funding round led by Aer Ventures

Watercycle Technologies is delighted to announce the completion of its investment round led by Aer Ventures. This investment will allow the business to further develop our prototype solutions and test them at scale at UK-based lithium extraction and battery recycling locations. Seb Leaper, CEO, says, “we are very grateful for the support of Aer Ventures in this journey as they share our ambition to help build a sustainable, circular economy for future generations to enjoy.”

Aer Ventures is a business accelerator for entrepreneurs focused on making a meaningful positive impact on the resource and environmental challenges facing the world. Chris Rowley, Managing Partner of Aer Ventures, adds, “the innovation Watercycle Technologies provides has never been more essential and we are pleased to support the business in taking this game changing technology to market.”

The University of Manchester Innovation Factory is the organisation dedicated to driving the commercialisation of the University’s innovation and intellectual property. Andrew Wilkinson, CEO, says: “this new University of Manchester spinout has amazing potential to significantly reduce the cost and environmental impact of lithium production. It also enables countries with access to lithium-rich brines and recycled batteries, like the UK, to become self-sufficient in this strategically vital raw material.”

See the full article here.

11/04/2022 Roberto Navarro Tovar joins the research and development team as Process Engineer

Roberto is a chemical engineer with knowledge in ​​membrane technology, optimization, control, and integration of mass and energy in chemical processes. He is currently undertaking a PhD in Process Integration at The University of Manchester working in the modelling and experimental studies of membrane distillation processes for water purification. Roberto has undertaken research internships at Texas A&M University, where under the supervision of Prof. Debalina Sengupta and Prof. Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi, he developed a Matlab program to evaluate external costs incurred by companies that have violated Texan environmental regulations. He is an Associate Research Scientist for the Center for Research and Development in Food Agrobiotechnology in Hidalgo, Mexico, where he advises on water resource projects. Ahmed Abdelkarim, CTO, says, “Roberto’s knowledge in integration of technology into large-scale processes will be a great asset to the company. His personal interest in water use fits with our values and we look forward to moving forward with him.“

05/04/2022 The team meets at their new premises in the Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre in Manchester

Seb Leaper, CEO, Ahmed Abdelkarim, CTO, and Fiona Porter, Operations Director, are joined by their commercial and strategy advisory board, Chris Rowley and Paul Dudley from Aer Ventures, and Phil Kemp, former CEO of Bruntwood Scitech, at the company’s new premises in the Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (GEIC). The GEIC is an industry-led innovation centre, designed to work in collaboration with industrial partners to create, test and optimise new concepts for delivery to market, along with the processes required for scale up and supply chain integration. A dedicated team of experienced Application Managers, Application Specialists, Technicians and the Business Engagement team are available for support.

28/03/2022 Dr Fiona Porter joins the company as Operations Director

Fiona joins us after spending two and a half years at Johnson Matthey, a British multinational company specialising in chemical and sustainable technologies, where she worked in a variety of roles in their growing Hydrogen Technologies business, from deploying a CRM system to managing key customer accounts. Before JM, Fiona completed her undergraduate degree in chemistry at Oxford University and her PhD at the University of Manchester, where she met CEO, Seb Leaper. Seb says, “we are so happy to have Fiona join our growing team. She brings energy, drive and focus, as well as her valuable experience in navigating the energy transition from a corporate perspective.” Fiona says, “I am delighted to join Watercycle at such an exciting time. I believe in the company’s technology, values and ambition, and can’t wait to get started. “

24/03/2022 Watercycle Technologies mentioned in the Manchester Evening News

Watercycle Technologies co-founder, Seb Leaper, gets interviewed for the MEN’s article on the UK’s levelling up agenda. Read the full article here.