The CROCODILE project will showcase innovative metallurgical systems based on advanced pyro-, hydro-, bio-, iono- and electrometallurgy technologies for the recovery of cobalt and the production of cobalt metal and upstream products from a wide variety of secondary and primary European resources. CROCODILE will demonstrate the synergetic approaches and the integration of the innovative metallurgical systems within existing recovery processes of cobalt from primary and secondary sources at different locations in Europe, to enhance their efficiency, improve their economic and environmental values, and will provide a zero-waste strategy for important waste streams rich in cobalt such as batteries. Additionally, CROCODILE will produce a first of a kind economically and environmentally viable mobile commercial metallurgical system based on advanced hydrometallurgical and electrochemical technologies able to produce cobalt metal from black mass containing cobalt from different sources of waste streams such as spent batteries and catalysts. The new established value chain in this project will bring together for the first time major players who have the potential of supplying 10,000 ton of cobalt annually in the mid-term range from European resources, corresponding to about 65% of the current overall EU industrial demand. Therefore, the project will reduce drastically the very high supply risk of cobalt for Europe, provide SMEs with novel business opportunities, and consolidate the business of large refineries with economically and environmentally friendly technologies and decouple their business from currently unstable supply of feedstocks.

PEACOC will showcase a first-of-a-kind economically and environmentally viable pre-commercial metallurgical system for recovering Precious Metals (PMs) (i.e. Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) identified as critical raw materials by the European Commission (EC), as well as gold (Au) and silver (Ag)), highly important for the EU economy, from a wide variety of abundant end-of-life (EPEACOC will showcase a first-of-a-kind economically and environmentally viable pre-commercial metallurgical system for recovering Precious Metals (PMs) (i.e. Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) identified as critical raw materials by the European Commission (EC), as well as gold (Au) and silver (Ag)), highly important for the EU economy, from a wide variety of abundant end-of-life (EoL) products in Europe. The concept is mainly based on previously developed recovery and refining technologies to TRL 5 in the PLATIRUS Research and Innovation project (Micro-Wave assisted leaching and Gas Diffusion Electrocrystallization GDEx), which were flagged by the Innovation Radar initiative of the EC as excellent innovations and showed a significant cost reduction and lower environmental impact compared to state-of-the-art hydrometallurgical processes as will be shown throughout the proposal. The PEACOC system will be demonstrated at pre-commercial scale at TRL7 with capacity to treat ~50t of PMs concentrates/year i.e., with a recovery capacity of i)2 kg PGMs/week from spent autocatalysts (containing ~2.5kg PGMs/t), ii) 0.5-1 kg Au/week from Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) with a focus on low and medium grade PCBA (containing 20-100 g Au/t) that are currently poorly valorized in industrial smelting processes due to low PM concentrations, and iii) 10 kg Ag/week from EoL Photovoltaic (PV) panels (containing ~3-10 kg Ag/t) which will be an abundant resource in Europe in the coming few years. The project will demonstrate the production of PMs at a profit margin up to 80% with respect to current PMs market prices.

The CIRCUBATT project aims to redefine the European battery sector by setting new benchmarks through the integration of artificial intelligence, data analytics, and sustainable practices. By tackling critical bottlenecks and employing cutting-edge technologies, CIRCUBATT seeks to boost the competitiveness of the European industry while aligning with the EU’s environmental and economic objectives. Its holistic approach promises a more efficient, reliable, and sustainable battery value chain, prepared to address Europe's future energy demands and the global challenge of climate change. The project combines advanced material sciences, innovative business models, and leading digital technologies to deploy a range of solutions tested across various real-world scenarios. These solutions will span the entire battery lifecycle—from design and manufacturing to end-of-life recycling—showcasing adaptability, efficiency, and sustainability in practical applications. This initiative aims to reduce Europe’s reliance on critical raw materials, diminish environmental impacts, and strengthen the continent’s position in the global battery market. CIRCUBATT will explore innovative business models, such as Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) and develop cross-industry tools like battery sustainability analysis and artificial intelligence-driven data analytics. Additionally, it will advance the design of battery cells and packs that support effective aging analysis and facilitate dismantling for second-life use or recycling. Pilot studies within the project will validate the feasibility of these innovations. Ultimately, the project will deliver new products, business models, and tools poised to make significant contributions to the circularity, resilience, and sustainability of the European battery value chain.