Preparations underway for the EIA report on battery materials production

FINNISH MINERALS GROUP'S project company, Finnish Battery Chemicals Oy, has received the statement on the EIA programme from the coordinating authority of the EIA procedure for battery materials production. The company’s next step is to prepare an EIA report based on the EIA programme and the coordinating authority’s statement, outlining the results of the assessment and the environmental impact of different implementation options. 

The ongoing EIA procedure concerns two plants for producing materials needed for lithium-ion batteries. The environmental effects of a precursor cathode active material (pCAM) plant are assessed in four alternative locations: Kokkola, Vaasa, Kotka, and Hamina. The environmental effects of a cathode active material (CAM) plant are assessed in two alternative locations: Vaasa and Kotka.

“Finland has significant business, research and education activities that support the building of a cohesive battery value chain. Finnish mineral resources and good availability of low-carbon electricity are also key factors in our favour. Building on our strengths, we contribute to the electrification of transport which enables the reduction of emissions from traffic,” says Vesa Koivisto, SVP, Battery Value Chain at Finnish Minerals Group.

According to Koivisto, the demand for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries is estimated to keep growing in the coming years. By far the fastest growing segment for batteries is electric cars. For example, European car manufacturers have made a strong commitment to develop and produce electric cars. The rise of electric cars is also creating a need to produce batteries and the related materials, which in turn provides opportunities to create new industry. 

As the project owner, Finnish Battery Chemicals Oy is aiming at submitting the EIA report to the coordinating authority, the ELY Centre for Southeast Finland, by late autumn 2020. The investment negotiations will continue alongside preparing the report.

The EIA procedure’s report phase also includes a public hearing whereby the coordinating authority requests statements on the report from the relevant authorities and gives the other parties the chance to present their views. 

Terms used in the text:
pCAM – precursor cathode active material, preliminary stage of the lithium-ion battery cathode active material.
CAM – cathode active material, a powdery end-product used in cathode manufacturing at cell plants.

Further information for the media:
SVP, Battery Value Chain Vesa Koivisto, Finnish Minerals Group, +358 50 453 6322, vesa.koivisto@mineralsgroup.fi