Stelco’s Circle: Canadian steelmaker plans to recycle EV batteries, materials at Ontario plant

Hamilton, Ontario ⁠— Canadian steel company Stelco is planning to recycle end-of-life electric vehicle batteries and lithium-ion batteries at its facility in Nanticoke, Ontario, the company announced Jan. 11.

Stelco is proposing an integrated shredding and hydrometallurgical refinery at its Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke, southwest of Hamilton and near Port Dover. Alan Kestenbaum, CEO of Stelco, said that the plant would “enable Stelco to create a closed loop system of auto recycling and provision of green steel and battery metals back to its [automaker] customers.”

Under the plan, which uses proprietary technology from a joint venture of German and Australian metal companies SMS Group and Neometeals Ltd., respectively, Stelco says it will recover up to 18,400 net tons of nickel, manganese and cobalt sulphates, lithium hydroxide and carbonate per year from batteries. It also said it will generate 40,000 net tons of scrap steel from the vehicles.

The company is targeting 2023 for its initial operations kick-off.