REC2pCAM project, awarded funding under the Innovation Fund

The REC2pCAM project aims to build and operate a plant for PCAM intended for NCM-type (nickel-cobalt-manganese) CAM materials, which are essential components of lithium-ion batteries. It is part of Neomat’s broader initiative to create a European hub dedicated to electric vehicle battery pre-treatment, refining, and the production of PCAM and CAM.

In particular, the project’s objective is to use as feedstock a 100% Europe-sourced “black mass” obtained from end-of-life batteries to produce PCAM, combining a hydrometallurgical refining unit (HMU) with a PCAM plant. The project is expected to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with electric vehicles equipped with lithium-ion batteries. This integrated approach will enable a fully circular supply of critical materials for PCAM production, thereby enhancing the overall climate benefits of the project.

The project aims to produce 20,000 tonnes of PCAM annually, enabling the equipping of approximately 300,000 electric vehicles and avoiding the emission of 3.4 million tonnes of CO₂ over 10 years of production*.

The REC2pCAM project contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal by strengthening Europe’s autonomy in critical raw materials and its battery value chain. Aligned with the Critical Raw Materials Act, the Net-Zero Industry Act, the Batteries Regulation, and the Automotive Action Plan, it supports the transition towards a more sustainable, resilient, and competitive industry. It will also foster economic development in northern France, with the creation of around 230 direct and indirect jobs, consolidating the European battery ecosystem around Dunkirk in the Hauts-de-France region.