Outotec and Terrafame, a Finnish multi-metal company, have agreed on the delivery of pressure leaching and solvent extraction technologies for a battery chemicals plant to be built in Sotkamo, Finland. The total order value booked in the fourth quarter order intake is approximately €34 million.

Outotec has been Terrafame’s partner for development of this project already in the pre-feasibility study phase. Outotec’s scope of delivery comprises the technology and engineering of the leaching and solvent extraction plants, supply of proprietary equipment as well as advisory services for installation, training, commissioning and start-up. The battery chemicals plant, expected to be ready for commissioning in 2020, will have the capacity of producing annually approximately 170,000 tonnes of nickel sulfate and approximately 7,400 tonnes of cobalt sulfate to be used for batteries of electric vehicles. As a by-product, the plant will produce approximately 115,000 tonnes of ammonium sulfate per year used as a fertilizer and in process industry.

“We are pleased to be Terrafame’s trusted technology partner in this project. The demand for battery chemicals is expected to grow significantly in the future, and we have the required expertise and proprietary equipment for their processing,” comments Kalle Härkki, head of Outotec’s Metals, Energy & Water business unit.