Betolar and Metso agree side stream deal

Companies to co-operate in utilization of side streams from Metso’s lithium hydroxide process

BETOLAR and Metso have struck a three-year co-operation agreement in which Betolar’s technology can be offered globally to mining and refinery customers using Metso’s lithium hydroxide process.

Founded in 2016, Betolar are a Finnish materials technology company who offer the production of sustainable and low-carbon concrete with their Geoprime solution, which converts industrial side streams into a cement substitute.

With Betolar’s material technology solutions, the analcime sand generated as a side stream in lithium extraction can be utilized as gravel and binder in materials for low-carbon concrete production, thereby reducing emissions and the use of virgin natural resources.

‘With our sustainable circular economy solution, the added value of analcime sand can be significantly increased,’ said Ville Voipio, chief commercial officer at Betolar. ‘The three-year co-operation agreement with Metso supports access to markets that are key to our strategy, strengthening our growth opportunities globally, especially in the waste upcycling business,’

As lithium production for e-mobility and energy storage batteries will produce increasing amounts of analcime sand as the green technology transition progresses, the battery industry is interested in finding financially and environmentally sustainable further use for increasing side streams.

‘The demand for Metso’s battery materials technology is in a strong growth phase,’ commented Mikko Rantaharju, vice-president of hydrometallurgy at Metso. ‘Together with Betolar, we can offer our customers a comprehensive solution that takes into account the circular economy use of side streams in an innovative and sustainable way.’