Carbon
footprint 50% lower than benchmark cobalt facility
TORONTO, Oct. 29, 2020 /CNW/ - First Cobalt Corp. (TSXV:
FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (the "Company") is demonstrating its commitment
to fighting climate change by releasing results of a life cycle
assessment (LCA) affirming the low carbon footprint of its Canadian
Refinery. The report concludes that the environmental impacts
associated with refining cobalt at First Cobalt's facility will be
materially lower than the published impacts of a leading Chinese
refiner. The report is being released in its entirety to
demonstrate transparency and a commitment to industry-leading ESG
practices.
Highlights
- In First Cobalt's production process, the carbon footprint
generated through the production of one kilogram of cobalt sulfate
is 1.58 kg CO2 eq compared to 3.25 kg CO2 eq
for a benchmark refinery in Tongxiang, China
- Impact of producing cobalt sulfate at First Cobalt's Canadian
refinery rather than through the existing supply chain is the
equivalent of taking more than 9,000 combustion engines off the
road every year
- First Cobalt Refinery has a lower environmental impact in four
of six impact categories measured, is equal in one category and is
slightly below in a final impact category
- LCA report provides a roadmap that will help First Cobalt
further reduce site-level impacts before the refinery is
commissioned
- Study was funded through a research grant provided by the
National Research Council of
Canada
Trent Mell, President & Chief
Executive Officer, commented:
"Electric vehicles are an important part of meeting global
goals on climate change but consumers are demanding transparency on
the environmental footprint of the EV lifecycle. Transparency
across the entire supply chain is the best way to ensure that the
EV revolution is also a green revolution.
"We are proud to share the results of a life cycle assessment
of the First Cobalt Refinery process and we are committed to using
these findings to improve our flowsheet to achieve even higher
standards. Industry-leading ESG practices and environmental
stewardship are important to us, as they are to our partners and
our stakeholders."
First Cobalt is committed to the sustainable production of
cobalt for its essential role in the manufacturing of electric
vehicles. The Company commissioned a gate-to-gate LCA of the First
Cobalt Refinery across six areas of impact based on First Cobalt's
refinery expansion feasibility study. Minviro, a London-based consultancy that specializes in
life cycle assessments, conducted the study. The intention of the
LCA is to quantify and benchmark the potential environmental
footprint of the operation and identify opportunities to reduce
that footprint prior to the refinery's expansion and
recommissioning.
The study assesses the life cycle impact of the production of 1
tonne of cobalt sulfate heptahydrate (CoSO4
ยท7H2O) converted from cobalt hydroxide. For comparative
purposes, results from each category were benchmarked against a
leading cobalt refinery in Tongxiang, China.
Impact per
Kilogram of Cobalt Sulfate Produced
|
Category
|
Measure
|
First
Cobalt
|
Chinese
Refiner
|
Impact
Reduction
|
Global Warming
Potential
|
kg CO2
eq.
|
1.58
|
3.25
|
51%
|
Eutrophication
Potential
|
kg N eq.
|
0.0068
|
0.0097
|
30%
|
Smog
Potential
|
kg particulate
matter
|
1.4E-7
|
1.8E-7
|
22%
|
Acidification
Potential
|
kg SO2
eq.
|
0.022
|
0.022
|
0%
|
Ozone Depletion
Potential
|
kg CFC-11
eq.
|
1.2E-6
|
1.1 E-6
|
-9%
|
Freshwater
Consumption
|
kg water
|
3.38
|
12.5
|
73%
|
In four of six impact categories, the First Cobalt Refinery has
a lower environmental impact: global warming potential,
eutrophication potential, smog potential and freshwater
consumption. For acidification potential the impact of the First
Cobalt refinery is equal to the acidification potential of the
Tongxiang refinery.
The one category where First Cobalt had a slightly higher
impact, was ozone depletion potential, where the values are 9%
higher. This is primarily due to the use of sodium hydroxide during
the solvent extraction process. The use of sodium hydroxide at the
SX stage is a notable contributor for all impact categories and it
is also a significant contributor with most of the world's cobalt
refining operations. The Company is studying alternatives to reduce
sodium hydroxide consumption and will also seek to identify
suppliers of minimum impact sodium hydroxide.
In 2012, the Cobalt Institute published a LCA study for eight
cobalt operations, including processing from sites in Belgium, Canada, DRC, Finland, France, Japan
and Zambia. The cobalt refining
processes covered in this study are generally hydrometallurgical,
similar to the First Cobalt Refinery. The Cobalt Institute covered
three of the same impacts included in the First Cobalt LCA: global
warming potential, eutrophication potential and acidification
potential. Once again, the First Cobalt impacts across each of
these categories rank favourably, underlining the Company's strong
ESG potential.
An important competitive advantage for the First Cobalt Refinery
is that its power is drawn from a hydroelectric grid, which is
commonplace in Canada. Conversely,
electricity from a Chinese grid is mainly coal-powered, which will
have a higher global warming potential.
Freshwater is an environmental indicator rather than an impact
category but it was deemed important for this assessment. Mining
and refining processes often take place in water stressed regions
and the amount of water consumed in the process is frequently an
important factor.
The LCA makes comparative assertions between First Cobalt's
Refinery and Huayou Cobalt Refinery. To ensure that the LCA study
is scientifically robust and in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO
14044, Minviro included a third-party review from industry
experts.
A primary objective of this study is to assist in project
development and improvement with a secondary motivation to assist
with strategic planning. The intended audience for this study is
broad and includes parties across the cobalt value chain, both
upstream and downstream.
First Cobalt is publishing the results because the Company
believes it can enrich the discussion on ESG by sharing and
clarifying important facts and figures about its intended
operations. Through this process, it seeks active dialogue with all
interested parties.
A copy of the LCA report can be accessed on our website at
https://www.firstcobalt.com/responsibility/life-cycle-assessment/.
About First Cobalt
First Cobalt owns North
America's only permitted cobalt refinery. Cobalt refining is
a critical component to the development and manufacturing of
batteries for electric vehicles and forms a foundational piece of
the next generation of the North American auto sector and other
electrified consumer and industrial applications. First Cobalt owns
the Iron Creek cobalt project in Idaho,
USA and controls significant silver and cobalt assets in the
Canadian Cobalt Camp, including more than 50 past producing
mines.
On behalf of First Cobalt Corp.
Trent Mell
President & Chief Executive Officer
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of this release.
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and assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking statements
are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these
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and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the
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applicable law, First Cobalt disclaims any intention or obligation
to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE First Cobalt Corp.