CBMM has formally opened its new manufacturing facility dedicated to producing Echion’s proprietary ultra-fast charging XNO® active anode material technology. 

CBMM has been working with battery technology developer Echion to develop a novel niobium-based anode material (XNO®). Through partnership with CBMM, Echion receives a robust and reliable feedstock for its XNO® anode material, as well as capital and other support. Meanwhile, by partnering with Echion, CBMM hopes to develop new markets for the niobium it produces.

Echion’s niobium-based anode material, XNO®, enables Li-ion batteries to charge quickly and safely, maintain high energy densities (even at extreme temperatures) and deliver high power across a cycle life of more than 10,000 cycles. Its attributes thus make it potentially attractive to battery producers globally, as the drive towards more efficient battery technologies and faster-charging continues.

The new plant, located at CBMM’s operations in Araxá, Brazil, is capable of producing 2,000tpy of XNO® – equivalent to 1GWh of Li-ion cells. Its commissioning should be seen as an important step in CBMM’s quest to diversify into new (non-steel) markets.

CBMM aims to increase its oxide production capacity to 40ktpy from 10ktpy currently, with ambitions for 25% of its revenue coming from non-steel applications by 2030. The company forecasts that by 2030, batteries could consume 30,000t of Nb oxide.

Project Blue’s base case sees demand in batteries increasing, although not at the rate envisaged by CBMM. Our more conservative expectation is for batteries to consume less than 10,000t of Nb oxide by 2030. We note that niobium use in batteries remains at an early stage, but that the upside potential is considerable and the commissioning of CBMM’s new plant represents an important step.