Eramet

 Manganese activities:

In Gabon, the world's largest high-grade manganese mine, operated by Comilog, a subsidiary of Eramet

• Estimated reserves > 20 years
• In operation for over 50 years
• 1st quartile of the cost curve
• Rail transport of ore by Setrag, a subsidiary of Eramet and operator of the Transgabonais (650 km of track)
• Six pyrometallurgical plants for transforming ore into alloys in Europe (France and Norway), the United States and Gabon

Main applications:

• Production of carbon steel (90% of outlets) used in infrastructure, construction, automotive and food processing
• Chemistry (batteries, agriculture, pigments, etc.)

 

Nickel activity:

In Indonesia, Weda Bay Nickel

• 1st nickel deposit in the world, exploited since 2019 in partnership with the Chinese steel group Tsingshan (majority shareholder)
• Low grade nickel ore & ferroalloy production
• Over 22 years of estimated reserves

In New Caledonia, Société Le Nickel (SLN)

• Ore and ferronickel production
• Four mining centres and a processing plant
• Over 25 years of estimated reserves

Main applications:

• Stainless steel production (70% of usages): food hygiene, construction, medical equipment
• Other applications: alloys, superalloys, batteries, chemistry, electroplating
• Aeronautics, automotive
• Electric and hybrid cars
• Phones, laptops

 

Mineral sands activity:

In Senegal, production of titanium ores (ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene) and zircon by Grande Côte Opérations (GCO). Eramet is the 4^rd world producer of Zircon.

• More than 20 years of reserves
• Rail transport of ore to the port of Dakar operated by GCO

Main applications:

• Pigments (90% of titanium product outlets) for the production of paint, plastics, paper
• Welding Flux Industry
• Ceramics (50% of global zircon production) and chemical derivatives (20% of global zircon production)
• Foundry, including the production of wind turbines

 

Development in progress:

Extraction of lithium contained in the brines of the Salar de Centenario and transformation into battery-grade lithium carbonate, at 4 000 m above sea level in the province of Salta.

• Production to start in November 2024 in Argentina
• Estimated reserves > 40 years and positioning in the 1st quartile of the lithium industry cost curve.
• Compliance with the strictest standards in responsible mining (IRMA framework) including all environmental, social and governance aspects.

One of the most advanced extraction technologies in the industry:

• 10 years of research and development, 5 years of continuous management
• Lithium recovery rate of 90%
• Treatment time of one week, compared to 18 months for the classic evaporation process
• Recycling of 60% of the water used in the process

 

• Project:

Valorizing Lithium from Geothermal Energy, a project in partnership with Electricité de Strasbourg (ÉS)

• 3 years of R&D have demonstrated Eramet's ability to capture lithium from a geothermal source to produce battery-grade carbonate.
• Eramet has adapted the process developed for its project in Argentina to Alsatian geothermal brines.
• ÉS brings its knowledge of Alsatian geology and its expertise in the sustainable production of high-temperature geothermal energy.

The advantages of AgéLi:

• A near-zero carbon footprint thanks to the use of energy produced by geothermal heat.
• Its proximity to the European battery industry.
• Production to begin before the end of the decade subject to a final investment decision by the end of 2026.