- 0112-hr, 3-FJH chlorination run on PGM feed.
- 02Pt153ppm, Pd518ppm, Rh63ppm; confirm by acid digest.
- 0312 cycles across 3 sizes; ~50 samples; analysis underway.
Advanced metals recovery specialist Metallium (ASX: MTM) has completed a 12-hour multi-unit flash joule heating (FJH) chlorination campaign at the Gator Point Technology Campus in Texas.
It involved three FJH reactors operating with chlorine and high-value platinum group metal (PGM)-bearing catalytic converter feedstock and marked an important progression from an earlier multi-unit inert commissioning campaign into reactive processing.
The PGM material contained vendor-reported grades of 153 parts per million platinum, 518ppm palladium, and 63ppm rhodium that will be confirmed by full acid digest analysis by Metallium.
Twelve test cycles were carried out across three particle-size distributions, generating approximately 50 samples to assess thermochemical performance, metal deportment, and feedstock processing behaviour.
Metallurgical analysis of samples is now underway, with the results to be assessed alongside operating data to better understand the thermochemical behaviour of the PGM feedstock within the FJH reactors and inform further optimisation of reactor configuration, feed preparation, chlorination conditions, and operating parameters for subsequent campaigns.
Real-World Deployment
The latest campaign followed Metallium’s June multi-unit FJH testing, in which three reactors were operated simultaneously for 12 hours using nitrogen and inert silica-based material to validate multi-unit mechanical operation, fluidisation, material handling, instrumentation, and control systems.
Metallium managing director Michael Walshe said it demonstrated the progression of the FJH platform into a “significantly more commercially relevant environment” as the company moves toward real-world deployment.
“The significance of this campaign extends well beyond individual recovery results—it is designed to generate the operating and metallurgical data required to better understand the thermochemical behaviour of feedstock within the reactors and how key process variables interact under chlorination conditions,” he said.
“This is exactly how we need to develop this platform as we move toward commercialisation: by systematically building our understanding of reactor and feedstock performance, reducing technology risk, and using that data to refine reactor configuration, feed preparation and operating conditions for specific commercial applications.”
The company is currently engaging with US government agencies and select industry participants to identify potential commercial applications and assess processing performance against specific feedstock and customer requirements.
Commerical Operations
Metallium plans to produce saleable metal chlorides and metal-bearing intermediates before mid-2027 as part of ongoing process optimisation, product qualification, and the transition toward commercial operations.
Mr Walshe said the company would continue to “conservatively anticipate” initial metal product revenue from printed circuit board processing during the first half of the new year.
Commercial operations are expected to ramp-up as operating hours, throughput, product qualification, and downstream commercial arrangements are progressively established.
Metallium’s longer-term objectives include outputting finished metal products in elemental form from select feedstocks (where technically and commercially feasible), representing an additional development pathway rather than a prerequisite for all product sales.
CFO Appointment
Metallium has appointed corporate finance specialist Tim Cooper to the role of chief financial officer, strengthening its leadership, governance, and commercial frameworks as it progresses corporate development initiatives.
Mr Cooper has spent more than 20 years building commercial and financial foundations for businesses across Australia’s energy and resources sector, including turning around a loss-making international operation and overseeing a global multi-billion dollar joint venture portfolio at Fortescue (ASX: FMG).
He is regarded for his ability to set strategic direction and for identifying solutions to complex commercial problems and has a track record of building the teams, partnerships and governance that enables a business to execute its strategy.
Mr Cooper’s expertise will help Metallium finalise an audit under US accounting standards in preparation for a proposed uplisting of its American Depositary Receipts from Level 1 OTCQX to the Nasdaq exchange.
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