U.S. Patent Office Issues Notice pf Patent Allowance
SURREY, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 14, 2018 / Larry W. Reaugh, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Manganese Inc. ("American Manganese" or "AMY" or the "Company"), (TSX.V: AMY | OTC US: AMYZF | FSE: 2AM), is pleased to announce that the Company has received the "Notice of Allowance" from the United States Patent and Trade Mark Office for the Company's lithium-ion battery recycling technology.
The "Notice of Allowance" is formal notification indicating that the examination of the invention has been completed by the US Patent and Trademark Office and allowed for issuance as a patent. The Company's attorney will be completing documentation and submitting fees for formal issuance of the US Patent. AMY CEO Larry W. Reaugh said "Allowance of this patent is a significant milestone for the Company as the invention is now secured as a key asset that can be exclusively capitalized." The U.S. Patent examiner deemed AMY's technology is "novel" and "inventive" as it enables the recycling of valuable cathode metals (namely cobalt, nickel, manganese, aluminum and lithium) while converting these materials back to fresh cathode materials for manufacture of new lithium-ion batteries.
"American Manganese recognized early on that significant growth in the electric vehicle market will eventually lead to supply strains in materials used to make lithium-ion batteries," Mr. Reaugh noted, "and that effective recycling of end of life lithium-ion batteries is a key aspect of achieving a sustainable circular economy."
According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, forecasts show that electric vehicle sales are "increasing from a record 1.1 million worldwide in 2017, to 11 million in 2025 and then surging to 30 million in 2030" (see: Electric Vehicle Outlook). In a Bloomberg Article dated December 4,2018, "VW (Volkswagen) plans to launch fully or partly electric versions across its lineup of more than 300 cars, vans, trucks and motorbikes by 2030" (see: VW says the next generation of combustion cars will be its last ). In a Reuters article dated December 11, 2018, "Daimler will buy battery cells worth more than 20 billion euros ($23 billion) by 2030 as it readies mass production of hybrid and electric vehicles" (see: Daimler to buy $23 billion of battery cells for electric car drive )
With extensive experience in mining processes and technologies, American Manganese contracted Kemetco Research to embark on a research program to develop technology with the goal of capitalizing on the potential supply strains of the metals used for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries, while creating an important solution to the circular economy.
The Notice of Allowance of the US Patent is a significant milestone in achieving this goal. Key aspects described in the patent application are:
- Treatment of several cathode chemistries such as lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA).
- Methods for achieving 100% recoveries of cobalt, nickel, manganese, aluminum for all cathode chemistries tested.
- Method for achieving 100% lithium recovery by a novel locked cycle process.
AMY's contractor, Kemetco Research, has been strategically focused on developing AMY's core technology into a highly efficient recycling process, with plans to file for Continuing Patent Applications on work recently completed that complements the current technology. With the receipt of the Notice of Allowance, AMY is ahead of known competitors in terms of IP protection and positioned to lead the industry in electric vehicle battery recycling.
About Kemetco Research Inc.
Kemetco Researchis a private sector integrated science, technology and innovation company. Their Contract Sciences operation provides laboratory analysis and testing, field work, bench scale studies, pilot plant investigations, consulting services, applied research and development for both industry and government. Their clients range from start-up companies developing new technologies through to large multinational corporations with proven processes.
Kemetco provides scientific expertise in the fields of Specialty Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Process and Extractive Metallurgy. Because Kemetco carries out research in many different fields, it can offer a broader range of backgrounds and expertise than most laboratories.
American Manganese Inc. is a critical metal company with a patent pending process for the recovery of metals from lithium-ion batteries such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, manganese, and aluminum. Using a novel combination of reagents and unit operations, AMY can provide 100%
extraction of cathode metals at battery grade purity. American Manganese Inc. aims to capitalize on its patent pending technology and proprietary know-how to become the industry leader in recycling spent electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries (Please see the Company's July 25, 2018 Business Plan for further details).
On behalf of Management
AMERICAN MANGANESE INC.
Larry W. Reaugh
President and Chief Executive Officer
Information Contacts:
Larry W. Reaugh
President and Chief Executive Officer
Telephone:& 778 574 4444
Email: lreaugh@amymn.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain "forward-looking statements", which are statements about the future based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward –looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate or true. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.
SOURCE: American Manganese Inc.
