Post by account_disabled on Mar 7, 2024 6:28:22 GMT
Metals can be recycled many times and do not lose or degrade their properties . Metal recycling benefits the environment and the industry, since you can make new materials by obtaining raw materials in a more efficient way; This process not only reduces the carbon footprint but also the use of energy and resources by companies that use this type of materials.
Most of the materials needed for batteries and other clean energy technologies are dirty to mine. They are also mainly controlled by China. Can a recycling technology startup change that?
Megan O'Connor, co-founder and CEO of Nth Cycle , a Beverly, Massachusetts-based developer offering a metal recycling technology—that is, they extract critical metals from batteries for a second life—on how to enable a clean supply, domestic and optimized minerals critical for the transition to clean energy. Nth Cycle technology was developed at Harvard and Yale Universities.
In April, Nth Cycle received $ mi C Level Executive List llion in seed funding led by Boston-based clean energy venture capital firm Clean Energy Ventures .
What is the metal recycling process by Nth Cycle?
What does Nth Cycle do?
«Nth Cycle is a metal processing and recycling technology company. “We work with recyclers and miners to recover critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies, such as batteries and wind turbines.” expressed Megan O'Connor.
“Our clean, customizable electroextraction technology is installed on site to recover critical minerals from separated e-waste and low-grade mine tailings. “We are at the heart of metals processing , the crucial step that cost-effectively separates critical minerals from other elements, transforming them into production-grade raw materials for the energy transition.”
How does your new technology for the metal recycling process work?
Megan O'Connor: Existing technologies that recover critical minerals from e-waste and mining are dirty and inefficient. The two main technologies, pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, are both problematic.
Pyrometallurgy is what it sounds like: it uses large, dirty furnaces to superheat materials for recycling. Pyrometallurgy consumes too much energy and emits greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
Hydrometallurgy uses liquid to obtain a similar result. Hydrometallurgy uses harmful acids and solvents that create tons of chemical waste toxic to the environment. Both processes were invented more than years ago.
At Nth Cycle, we are taking a different approach to expanding the supply of minerals critical to the clean energy revolution. We harness the power of electroextraction – clean, modular technology to reliably recover critical minerals from e-waste and low-grade mine tailings using only electricity. Our electroextraction technology is clean, customizable, consistent and mobile.
How many times can materials be recycled?
Megan O'Connor : In theory, the number is unlimited. It's a big part of why I believe all the critical minerals needed for the energy transition are already in circulation today. We simply didn't have a clean, cost-effective way to do metal recycling until now.
We know that the demand for critical minerals to drive the energy transition is growing exponentially. However, we know that mining deeper and wider, and building ever higher landfills, runs counter to our fight to save the planet. Furthermore, we cannot allow supply chain issues or China's dominance in critical minerals to delay the transition to clean energy. Recycling and better domestic mining offer our best way forward.
How are you working with mining companies to help them extract more valuable material from mining waste?
Megan O'Connor: Our technology is mobile and scalable, so we can work with mining companies in a variety of ways. We mainly work with them at the beginning of their process. We can go to the mining site with our electroextraction technology and work with them on site.
This may surprise your readers, but the US has significant potential for domestic extraction of critical minerals. If we can access and extract those minerals cleanly, efficiently and economically, it will pay substantial dividends for our clean energy industries; Nth Cycle technology can make it possible.
Most of the materials needed for batteries and other clean energy technologies are dirty to mine. They are also mainly controlled by China. Can a recycling technology startup change that?
Megan O'Connor, co-founder and CEO of Nth Cycle , a Beverly, Massachusetts-based developer offering a metal recycling technology—that is, they extract critical metals from batteries for a second life—on how to enable a clean supply, domestic and optimized minerals critical for the transition to clean energy. Nth Cycle technology was developed at Harvard and Yale Universities.
In April, Nth Cycle received $ mi C Level Executive List llion in seed funding led by Boston-based clean energy venture capital firm Clean Energy Ventures .
What is the metal recycling process by Nth Cycle?
What does Nth Cycle do?
«Nth Cycle is a metal processing and recycling technology company. “We work with recyclers and miners to recover critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies, such as batteries and wind turbines.” expressed Megan O'Connor.
“Our clean, customizable electroextraction technology is installed on site to recover critical minerals from separated e-waste and low-grade mine tailings. “We are at the heart of metals processing , the crucial step that cost-effectively separates critical minerals from other elements, transforming them into production-grade raw materials for the energy transition.”
How does your new technology for the metal recycling process work?
Megan O'Connor: Existing technologies that recover critical minerals from e-waste and mining are dirty and inefficient. The two main technologies, pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, are both problematic.
Pyrometallurgy is what it sounds like: it uses large, dirty furnaces to superheat materials for recycling. Pyrometallurgy consumes too much energy and emits greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
Hydrometallurgy uses liquid to obtain a similar result. Hydrometallurgy uses harmful acids and solvents that create tons of chemical waste toxic to the environment. Both processes were invented more than years ago.
At Nth Cycle, we are taking a different approach to expanding the supply of minerals critical to the clean energy revolution. We harness the power of electroextraction – clean, modular technology to reliably recover critical minerals from e-waste and low-grade mine tailings using only electricity. Our electroextraction technology is clean, customizable, consistent and mobile.
How many times can materials be recycled?
Megan O'Connor : In theory, the number is unlimited. It's a big part of why I believe all the critical minerals needed for the energy transition are already in circulation today. We simply didn't have a clean, cost-effective way to do metal recycling until now.
We know that the demand for critical minerals to drive the energy transition is growing exponentially. However, we know that mining deeper and wider, and building ever higher landfills, runs counter to our fight to save the planet. Furthermore, we cannot allow supply chain issues or China's dominance in critical minerals to delay the transition to clean energy. Recycling and better domestic mining offer our best way forward.
How are you working with mining companies to help them extract more valuable material from mining waste?
Megan O'Connor: Our technology is mobile and scalable, so we can work with mining companies in a variety of ways. We mainly work with them at the beginning of their process. We can go to the mining site with our electroextraction technology and work with them on site.
This may surprise your readers, but the US has significant potential for domestic extraction of critical minerals. If we can access and extract those minerals cleanly, efficiently and economically, it will pay substantial dividends for our clean energy industries; Nth Cycle technology can make it possible.