Joint Development of Microwave-based Nickel Smelting Technology – Aiming to establish a significant energy-saving and decarbonization process –

Pacific Metals Co., Ltd.
Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd.

Pacific Metals Co., Ltd. (“PAMCO”, Head Office: Tokyo, President and Representative Director: Masayuki Aoyama) and Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd. (“MWCC”, Head Office: Osaka, President and Representative Director: Iwao Yoshino) have concluded an agreement concerning the joint development of microwave-based nickel smelting technology. Through the joint development project, small-scale demonstration test will be carried out to verify the viability of the business.

The field of metal smelting has become urgent in securing a stable supply of specified key products (such as rare metals) that are currently dependent on specific countries, following the enactment of the Economic Security Promotion Act in May 2022. Nickel, which is designated as one of these metal minerals, is an essential metal required for stainless steel and lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).

PAMCO possesses metal smelting technology centered on nickel and manufactures ferronickel, an alloy of iron and nickel (a raw material for stainless steel), in Japan using nickel ore imported from overseas as the main raw material. In its medium-term business plan, the company emphasizes “reduction of GHG emissions” and is aiming to move away from fossil fuels in its processes. MWCC succeeded in developing a manufacturing process in a large-scale chemical plant using microwaves for the first time in the world in 2014. In recent years, they have been building a microwave technology platform “Green Mining-MX^TM” for green innovation in the mining industry.

PAMCO and MWCC have been conducting lab demonstrations since 2022 to replace the energy from coal combustion used in conventional technology with microwaves generated by electricity during the nickel smelting process, which is a major cause of CO2 emissions. As a result, they have obtained prospects for a significant reduction in CO2 emissions and energy conservation through improved thermal efficiency. In this joint development, both companies will conduct tests to obtain the necessary data for scaling up using a small-scale demonstration facility. If favorable results are obtained, they will proceed to demonstration operation with a large-scale demonstration machine as the next step, aiming to introduce the actual machine by the fiscal year 2030, thereby contributing to the stable supply of nickel in Japan.

PAMCO aims to achieve carbon neutrality by the fiscal year 2050 and has a policy to reduce GHG emissions by more than 46% compared to the fiscal year 2013 by the fiscal year 2030. Along with the transition to a new process, they aim to apply this technology to other metal minerals and realize their long-term vision of “A comprehensive materials company that co-creates a sustainable, recycling oriented society”, and will continue to promote sustainable business.

MWCC will contribute to strengthening the supply chain of metal mineral resources and decarbonization by promoting the introduction of Green Mining-MX^TM to various mine development processes.

*1 A thermal treatment process to completely remove water of crystallization contained in ore by heating it at high temperatures