MARQUETTE COUNTY, MI— MTU and Eagle Mine company Revex Technologies wants to produce nickel concentrate and other minerals from metal-bearing waste streams, including discarded mine tailings and spent lithium-ion batteries, at new facilities in Marquette County.
The Department of Energy has selected the projects for an award negotiation up to $145 million.
In a press release Friday, officials said first, the Eagle Paste Facility will utilize flotation to process mine wastes containing residual nickel to produce paste backfill and nickel iron sulfide. Second, the reClaim facility will utilize fluidized bed roasting and reduction technology to produce nickel concentrate from the Paste Facility output. Third, Revex’s reCover facility will utilize grinding and mechanical separation technologies to extract cobalt, nickel, and lithium from spent lithium-ion batteries.
The project is expected to add approximately 115 new jobs, retain 425 jobs at Eagle Mine, and support 360 construction jobs over the 2-year construction period. Eagle Mine and Revex Technologies have been working with the Upper Peninsula Construction Council (UPCC) and the Michigan Building & Construction Trades Council (MBCTC) to ensure local labor is used during construction.
The grant announcement is the culmination of multiple years of ongoing research by Michigan Tech University and Eagle Mine, owned and operated by Lundin Mining. This partnership resulted in the creation of a new startup company, Revex Technologies, in 2023.
Darby Stacey, Managing Director for Eagle Mine, said, “The partnership with Revex and the U.S. Department of Energy is an important step in investing in our national mining infrastructure and securing domestic production of critical minerals. Once in operation, the project is expected to add additional jobs and extend the mine life at the Eagle Mine. This achievement is an important step forward in realizing our vision. However, there is still more to accomplish to bring these projects to life. Over the coming months, Revex and Eagle Mine will work with the DOE on the grant requirements as we secure funding approval and finalize grant documentation. The project will require project design and the necessary regulatory permits before an investment decision can be made.”
