NEO to work with silicon nano-coating technology for battery anode materials - MINING.COM

Competitor or potential customer?

“We strongly believe that our technology has the potential to achieve and realize the improved energy density and superior performance of silicon-based hybrid anodes in lithium-ion batteries,” Spencer Huh, NEO Battery Materials’ CEO, said in the media brief.

“Added with a lean and efficient manufacturing process, NEO will be capable of producing anode materials at a low cost, and the abundance of silicon will allow NEO to be a vertically integrated mining company, establishing a robust value chain that further pushes costs down.”

In Huh’s view, silicon is one of the most attractive anode materials because of its exceptionally high energy density, having more than 9.6 times the gravimetric capacity compared to conventional graphite. 

“However, the volume expansion issue of silicon during lithiation has been the main obstacle for the industry to adopt the technology,” the executive said. “The company believes that the secured technology could manage and resolve this specific issue related to silicon.”

NEO has said that it will focus on exploring and producing silicon at the mining claims it has staked in British Columbia, Canada.

The properties occupy 467 hectares and are along a strike with a quartzite bed, targeting silica in the quartzites.