Metso Debuts Solvent Extraction Plant

Metso has expanded has debuted the VSF® X solvent extraction plant with extended scope. The modular VSF® X plant, part of Metso’s Planet Positive offering, allows copper, cobalt, nickel, and manganese producers 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.

The company is also expanding its solvent extraction offering with a wider capacity range and improved features.

“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," explained 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 modularized plant offers excellent scalability and high quality with fluent logistics and fast-track delivery. 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 topped up with process guarantees. We can also provide a broad range of services along with digital solutions to ensure optimized life-cycle performance of the plants,” added Siltala.

Metso's VSF solvent extraction technology is recognized worldwide and is used in the largest copper solvent extraction facilities across the globe. The company has more than 50 operational references for the VSF solvent extraction plants and 10 for the modular VSF X plants.