February 2, 2023: Umicore has signed a long-term agreement for the supply of high-grade nickel sulphate with Terrafame, the firms announced on February 2.
Umicore said the deal follows completion of a qualification process and that commercial deliveries have already started and will ramp up during this year.
The agreement will boost the establishment of a sustainable battery materials value chain in Europe and cover a substantial part of the future low-carbon nickel requirements of Umicore’s Nysa cathode materials plant (see image) in Poland, the firms said.
Terrafame CEO Joni Lukkaroinen said the company uses a proprietary, energy-efficient process that provides for a more than 60% reduction of the carbon footprint of battery grade nickel compared to the current industry average.
Umicore announced the inauguration of Nysa on September 21.
The plant provides cathode materials for advanced lithium battery cell manufacturers, with annual production capacity set to reach 20GWh by the end of 2023 and 40GWh in 2024.
Nysa’s capacity has the potential to rise to more than 200GWh in the second half of the decade, Umicore said.