Glencore’s Britannia Refined Metals opens new sampling plant to support critical mineral recovery
Glencore’s Britannia Refined Metals (BRM), a key primary lead producer in Europe, has opened its new £41m sampling plant in Kent, United Kingdom. The plant will sample copper-bearing waste for further processing and refining to recover copper and other identified critical minerals, supporting the UK’s circular economy and global demand for recycled copper.
BRM’s investment is part of its ambition to diversify its operations and expand into recycling copper-bearing waste, alongside its expertise in lead refining. The new facility has the capacity to sample up to 25,000 tonnes of copper bearing waste annually – much of it is expected to be recovered from recycled appliances, including fridges and microwaves, e-scrap and automotive wires.
The sampling plant will take copper-bearing waste and pass it through a series of shredders to reduce the size of the waste material. BRM’s sample preparation facility will then roast the shredded waste material through a tray furnace and an induction furnace to divide it into even smaller samples, ready for collection and chemical analysis.
Marc Bedard, Head of Zinc and Metallurgical Assets at Glencore, said: “BRM’s new sampling plant signals our commitment to working with our customers in recovering critical minerals from waste and producing materials like copper which can be used for infrastructure, mobility, energy, and security technologies. The plant offers real potential to increase the lifecycle of critical minerals.”
When operating at full capacity the new facility is expected to employ approximately 20 people in a combination of operational, engineering and management roles, adding to BRM’s existing workforce of around 150 in Kent.
Paul Odendaal, Development Engineer, Britannia Refined Metals, added: “We are proud to have made this investment here in Kent, where BRM has been part of the local community for nearly a century. We are confident that BRM can continue to play an important part in the global critical minerals supply chain and look forward to continuing to work with local suppliers and businesses.”
About Britannia Refined Metals
BRM operates a leading lead production plant in Europe and has been part of the Gravesend and Northfleet community in Kent since 1930. BRM processes around 160,000 tonnes of lead per annum, used in batteries and high voltage subsea cables.
BRM’s lead and lead alloy products are of high quality and are sold to customers around the world. BRM also operates a precious metals plant producing up to 350 tonnes of LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) silver annually.
As part of the Glencore Group, BRM is part of an integrated mine to market value chain – from exploration and acquisition to processing, marketing, delivery, and recycling.
Notes for Editors
Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 60 commodities that advance everyday life. Through a network of assets, customers and suppliers that spans the globe, we produce, process, recycle, source, market and distribute the commodities that support decarbonisation while meeting the energy needs of today.
With over 150,000 employees and contractors and a strong footprint in over 30 countries in both established and emerging regions for natural resources, our marketing and industrial activities are supported by a global network of more than 50 offices.
Glencore’s customers are industrial consumers, such as those in the automotive, steel, power generation, battery manufacturing and oil sectors. We also provide financing, logistics and other services to producers and consumers of commodities.
Glencore is proud to be a member of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and the International Council on Mining and Metals. We are an active participant in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
We will support the global effort to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement through our efforts to decarbonise our own operational footprint. For more information see our 2024-2026 Climate Action Transition Plan, available on our website at glencore.com/publications.
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