Terafame extracts dissolved battery metal from their process water with the help of Weeefiner’s recovery solution. Simultaneously, it enables the recycling of purified process water. The On Demand equipment provides flexibility, and its automated remote control ensures a smooth and cost-effective operation.
Terrafame is a Finnish mining company specialized in the production of battery chemicals. Terrafame facility is capable of producing nickel sulfate for approximately one million electric cars per year.
Weeefiner’s battery metal recovery system’s efficiency is based on selectivity. Instead of attempting to remove all minerals from the water, the recovery system specifically focuses on the removal of the target metal. This operational model enables cost-effective treatment of process water and recycling of the removed metal.
The benefits of the equipment solution for Terrafame are manifold; the solution produces metal concentrate that can be directly utilized in Terrafame’s battery chemical production, maximizing the amount of raw material generated in the mining process and reducing the amount of waste to be processed. Simultaneously, the purified process water can be recycled internally on site and utilized in other processes.
Easy Commissioning with the On-Demand Equipment
The On Demand equipment is constructed within a portable shipping container, facilitating easy and fast commissioning. Additionally, the solution includes all necessary preprocessing and recovery modules for efficient operation. The On Demand principle allows customers to rent the equipment for as long as needed, after which the equipment is returned to Weeefiner and can be customized for other purposes.
“The purification equipment does not require active operation; instead, automation and remote monitoring enable smooth operation around the clock. This allows us to reduce the use of personnel resources and provide cost-effective water treatment,” says Elmeri Lahtinen, Chief Technology Officer of Weeefiner.
“We have also paid attention to chemical consumption and optimized the process so that the chemical consumption of our purification equipment is significantly lower compared to, for example, competing water treatment solutions. This allows us to offer tangible circular economy solutions that are not only more environmentally friendly but also highly competitive compared to traditional purification methods.”
Benefits of the Recovery Process:
- Helps to control the metal concentrations of the process water
- Produces usable metal concentrate which can be utilized in the refining process
- Enables reuse of the purified process water
- Decreases the chemical consumption of the water treatment
- Provides flexible operation and easy commissioning
About Terrafame
Terrafame supplies responsibly produced battery chemicals to the global battery industry. Within Terrafame’s industrial area, there is one of the world’s largest production lines for battery chemicals used in electric vehicle batteries. The carbon footprint of the nickel sulfate produced by Terrafame is among the smallest in the industry.
About Weeefiner
Weeefiner is a technological pioneer that provides solutions for streamlining industrial processes and efficiently utilizing production by-products. The tightened environmental regulations and goals have increased the demand for practical and cost-effective circular economy solutions.