© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The brand of commodities dealer Glencore is pictured in entrance of the corporate’s headquarters in Baar, Switzerland, July 18, 2017. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Picture
By Francesca Landini and Alvise Armellini
ROME (Reuters) – Glencore (OTC:) has determined to construct a pilot venture for an electrical car (EV) battery recycling plant exterior of Italy, however nonetheless has its eye on the island of Sardinia for a bigger facility, the Swiss mining group stated on Thursday.
Responding to a Reuters request for touch upon a newspaper report, Glencore stated that the choice to relocate the testing and demonstration plant away from Portovesme in Sardinia would permit for quicker commissioning of the venture.
Glencore stated in Could it was going to develop a recycling hub with Canada’s Li-Cycle in Portovesme, the place Glencore has different industrial websites, to supply lithium and different supplies from the shredded materials extracted from used automobile batteries, often known as “black mass”.
However the two corporations determined that the testing and demonstration section of this venture would now not be accomplished in Sardinia after the island’s regional authorities refused to fast-track an environmental impression evaluation for it.
“This development does not immediately impact the feasibility assessment of the larger hub project,” Glencore stated in an emailed assertion.
“The definite feasibility study is ongoing and remains focused on Portovesme. This initiative is important for our recycling strategy and aligns with Italy’s objectives for sustainable industry development,” the group added.
The Swiss group didn’t specify the place it could construct the pilot plant.
Italian enterprise newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore stated on Thursday that a number of nations had been being thought of as different places, each in Europe and North America.
In a letter despatched by Glencore’s Sardinian unit to Italy’s surroundings and trade ministries, the corporate stated it hoped new European Union regulation on vital uncooked supplies for decarbonisation may speed up the allowing course of for its hub venture.
“We consider it essential to continue our dialogue with the ministries you represent, also to discuss how the soon to be enacted (EU) Critical Raw Materials Act can guarantee certainty and speed in the authorisation procedure for the Hub Project,” the group stated within the letter seen by Reuters.
The corporate additionally confirmed within the letter its intent to hold on with the restructuring of its present industrial actions in Portovesme.
The CGIL, CISL and UIL labour unions criticised the dearth of agency deadlines for the environmental evaluation process for the pilot plant, and requested the Italian authorities to finish their “attitude of distrust” in direction of the hub venture in Sardinia.
