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Finnish Battery Chemicals’ battery material project to be subjected to two EIA procedures

The company will continue the EIA procedures separately in the Kymenlaakso province and the western coast of Finland.

Published

19. October 2020

FINNISH Battery Chemicals Oy, a project company of Finnish Minerals Group, will divide the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure concerning its battery materials production into two separate EIA procedures. The EIA procedures for establishing precursor and cathode active material production in Finland will be carried out in the Kymenlaakso province and the western coast on different schedules.

The original battery materials production EIA procedure was initiated in March 2020, when Finnish Battery Chemicals submitted its EIA programme to the coordinating authority. In May, the company received the opinion from the authority on its programme, in accordance with the EIA procedure, on the basis of which it has continued the preparation of its EIA report, which is the second phase of the procedure.

During the report phase, Finnish Battery Chemicals aims to examine two different implementation models for  battery materials production, which is why the company has decided to split its EIA procedure into two separate procedures. The matter has been discussed with the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) of South-Eastern Finland and South Ostrobothnia, who will serve as the coordinating authorities for the EIA procedures in their respective regions.

“The plants under consideration, including their ancillary projects, are quite extensive, so dividing the EIA procedure geographically into two different procedures simplifies the examination of the alternatives. This will also allow us to make the documentation easier to understand for stakeholders,” notes Vesa Koivisto, SVP, Battery Operations at Finnish Minerals Group.

EIA procedure for battery materials production in Kymenlaakso

The EIA programme for the Kymenlaakso province that is to be updated and the resulting EIA report will be based on the original EIA programme submitted in March 2020. Now, all data concerning Vaasa and Kokkola locations will be removed from the original programme. This EIA procedure will focus on two separate plants whose capacity options will remain at 20,000, 60,000 and 120,000 tonnes per year.

Schedule
Finnish Battery Chemicals will shortly submit its updated Kymenlaakso EIA programme to the ELY Centre of South-Eastern Finland, which will serve as the coordinating authority. The company’s objective is to submit the EIA report to the authority after the turn of the year.

Options
Option 1 – Option 1 examines the placement of the pCAM and CAM plants in the Keltakallio area of Kotka.

Option 2 – Option 2 examines the placement of the pCAM plant in Hillonkylä, Hamina, and the placement of the CAM plant in Keltakallio, Kotka.

Option 0 – In Option 0, the project will not be implemented.

EIA procedure for battery material production in the western coast

The EIA procedure in the western coast of Finland will be launched as a new EIA procedure. In this project, the production of precursor and cathode active material could possibly be carried out in the same production facility complex. Vaasa and Kokkola are potential locations.

Schedule
Finnish Battery Chemicals aims to submit its EIA programme concerning the battery materials production in the western coast to the ELY Centre of South Ostrobothnia, which serves as the coordinating authority, by the end of 2020, and the EIA report in the first half of 2021.

Options
The options for the project will be announced at a later date, in connection with the launch of the EIA programme.

Further information – public notices and websites

The coordinating authorities will collect opinions through official public notices as well as by requesting any necessary opinions from various authorities in accordance with the EIA procedure. The authorities will also provide information on possible public events at a later date in local newspapers and on their website at ymparisto.fi.

Finnish Battery Chemicals will report on its progress in the EIA procedures on the website of its parent company, Finnish Minerals Group, at mineralsgroup.fi.

 

More information for the media:

Vesa Koivisto, SVP, Battery Operations, +358 50 453 6322, vesa.koivisto(at)mineralsgroup.fi

 

Terms used in the text:

Precursor cathode active material – preliminary stage of the cathode active material used in lithium-ion batteries. Abbreviated as pCAM.

Cathode active material – a powdery end-product used in cell plants to manufacture cathodes, the most valuable part of the lithium-ion battery. Abbreviated as CAM.

 

The mission of Finnish Minerals Group is to responsibly maximise the value of Finnish minerals. We manage the State’s mining industry shareholdings and strive to develop the Finnish value chain of lithium-ion batteries. In addition, we are engaged in long-term technology development of the mining and battery industry. Through our work, we contribute to Europe moving towards electric transport and a more sustainable future. www.mineralsgroup.fi

 

Published

19. October 2020