The BIOMETCRI project is already underway with the aim of implementing an innovative biotechnological process to recycle electric and hybrid vehicle batteries, recovering valuable metals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel and manganese. This initiative stands out for its commitment to sustainability, minimizing environmental impact and reducing operating costs compared to conventional techniques.

The technology has already been successfully tested in the recovery of copper present in other electronic waste and now the aim is to develop the application for the recovery of the valuable metals that make up batteries.

Funded within the framework of ACCIÓ's 2024 Competitiveness Strengthening Initiatives (IRC 2024), the project has a total budget of €99,991.74. The driving consortium is made up of the UPC, SEAT, Pratgir and the MAV Cluster, which join forces to demonstrate the scientific and technical viability of the process within a year.

BIOMETCRI proposes a bioleaching process based on the metabolic activity of microorganisms that generate leaching agents to extract metals from batteries in a cyclical and continuous manner. This system allows operation at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure, avoiding the costs and environmental impact associated with traditional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes.

On December 10, the consortium members met at the Pratgir facilities in Les Franqueses del Vallès to plan the next steps and begin technical tasks. This meeting is one of many that will structure the project, which includes phases such as the study of battery dismantling, the biological production of extracting agents and the technical and economic analysis of the scalability of the process.

BIOMETCRI has a strong alignment with the circular economy and sustainability policies of the European Union and the Spanish state, contributing to the reduction of waste and the dependence on external resources. Benefits include:

This project strengthens the competitiveness of participating companies and paves the way towards a more efficient and sustainable waste management model, with the potential to be replicated on an industrial scale.

For more information about BIOMETCRI and its advances, you can contact the MAV Cluster, project coordinator, or visit the website.

Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC)

The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) is a public research and higher education institution in the fields of engineering, architecture, science and technology, and is one of the leading universities in Europe. Every year, it graduates nearly 6,000 undergraduate and master's students, more than 300 doctors and 1,600 students in continuing education programs. It is one of the universities with a high rate of job placement for graduates and is well positioned in the main international rankings.

SEAT S.A.

SEAT S.A. is the only company that designs, develops, manufactures and sells automobiles in Spain. A member of the Volkswagen Group, the multinational is headquartered in Martorell and sells vehicles under the CUPRA and SEAT brands. The company exports more than 80% of its vehicles and is present in 75 countries. It employs more than 15,000 professionals and has three production centers: Barcelona, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell. The company aims to play a relevant role in the electrification of urban electric vehicles, with special attention to the transformation of the Spanish automotive industry.

Pratgir

Pratgir Reciclatges is a family business based in Les Franqueses del Vallès dedicated to recycling. Its main activity is the shredding of cables, where the more than 8,000 tons recycled make it one of the best prepared companies in the sector. As secondary activities, they develop the management and recycling of a wide range of industrial waste such as scrap metal, electronic waste, plastics, etc. They also recycle Li-Io and Ni-Mh batteries, making a qualitative leap by incorporating chemical recycling, obtaining the materials/minerals that compose them and thus becoming the first company to do so in the entire state territory.

MAV cluster

The Advanced Materials Cluster of Catalonia (MAV Cluster) is a non-profit association whose main objective is to promote and contribute to the competitiveness of companies and entities in the value chain of the advanced materials sector, thus boosting the Catalan industry as a whole. The MAV Cluster was created in 2015 thanks to the impetus of the Generalitat de Catalunya through ACCIÓ, the Agency for Business Competitiveness.