The modular VSF X plant allows copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese producers, among others, to purify desired metals from the leach solution in a safe and sustainable manner. The VSF X technology can also be used in battery black mass recycling processes.
“Solvent extraction is a crucial step in the production of essential battery metals and is gaining wider ground in hydrometallurgy applications. This is driven by the growing demand for higher purity metals and the increasing use of minerals to empower the energy transition,” explains Olli Siltala, product manager for the VSF X solvent extraction plants at Metso. “Our customers are seeking reliable and environmentally sound production processes with lower plant life cycle costs. Metso’s VSF X solvent extraction technology meets these needs and enables an efficient and economical solvent extraction process step for various ore bodies and recycled battery black mass.”
The integrated plant consists of Metso’s highly productized proprietary equipment, like the VSF X mixer-settler, VSF X organic and crud treatment unit; Dual Media, Activated Carbon and GM filters, as well as new digital products such as DispersionSense and OA Sense, along with process guarantees.
Metso has been developing solvent extraction technologies and delivering both equipment and processes for decades. The company has more than 50 operational references for the VSF solvent extraction plants and 10 for the modular VSF X plants.
