Metals Refining - From Mining to Brining: Ep142 - Alex Grant
Nov 8, 2023
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Alex Grant, CEO at Magrathea Metals, discusses the groundbreaking work in electrolytic technology for magnesium production. They explore the environmental impact, potential applications, and advantages of magnesium. The chapter covers replacing aluminum with magnesium, making magnesium from seawater, and the scale-up process for the project. They also highlight the positive impacts on climate change and the need for non-China sources of magnesium metal.
Magrathea Metals is developing a new electrolytic technology for carbon-neutral magnesium metal production from seawater and brines, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional mining.
The use of magnesium in automotive and aviation industries for weight reduction and improved energy efficiency, combined with Magrathea Metals' low-cost production approach, has the potential to alleviate supply chain pressures and reduce CO2 emissions.
Deep dives
Developing a New Process for Magnesium Production
Magra Thera Metals, led by CEO Alex Grant, is working on a new electrolytic technology for producing magnesium metal from seawater and brines. This revolutionary process allows for the carbon-neutral production of a lightweight structural metal without the need for traditional mining. Magnesium is one-third lighter than aluminum and has various uses in automotive and aviation industries for weight reduction and improved energy efficiency. The company aims to compete with the cheaper, environmentally damaging Chinese pigeon process and create a low-cost supply chain for non-Chinese, low-carbon magnesium metal.
Unlocking a New Cost Structure with Electrolytic Magnesium Production
Magra Thera's process focuses on low-capex and low-opex intensity, leveraging the use of renewable energy sources for the electrolytic production of magnesium. By utilizing seawater and electricity, the approach aims to provide a cost advantage over traditional methods, making magnesium metal price-competitive with aluminum. The company's technology also enables intermittent energy use, allowing for potential load-following capabilities and reduced energy costs. The lower-cost magnesium metal production could help alleviate supply chain pressures and reduce CO2 emissions, offering a viable and sustainable alternative to aluminum.
Applications and Versatility of Magnesium as a Structural Metal
Magnesium's lightness, being approximately one-third lighter than aluminum, makes it ideal for various applications in automotive and aviation industries. Historically, magnesium has been used for car parts such as roofs, doors, center consoles, and dashboards. It is also being explored as a lightweight alternative for battery pack enclosures in electric vehicles when combined with aluminum. Additionally, magnesium's high thermal conductivity and ease of die-casting make it versatile for manufacturing and transportation industries, offering opportunities for significant weight reduction in different structural components.
Potential Impact of Magnesium on Climate Change and Economic Geopolitics
Magra Thera's production of magnesium offers multiple benefits in the context of climate change and economic geopolitics. As a substitute for aluminum, magnesium provides potential CO2 emission reductions due to the carbon-neutral primary production process. The elimination of mining from the supply chain and the ability to source magnesium from seawater and brines leads to a reformulation of supply chains and reduces dependency on China for this critical metal, aligning with the desire for diversified and sustainable supply sources. The wider adoption of magnesium can contribute to lightweighting, energy efficiency, and the decarbonization of various industries.
This week, Michael is back in the host seat to talk to Alex Grant all about the groundbreaking work going on at Magrathea Metals. Alex is co-founder and CEO at Magrathea, developing a new generation of electrolytic technology for making magnesium metal. He was a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in Energy for 2021, and former Lithium Partner at Minviro where he built environmental impact models of lithium-ion battery supply chain mineral and metal conversion processes including the first embodied carbon model for Tesla's batteries. Alex co-founded Lilac Solutions, a lithium extraction technology company.
Alex has an M.S. from Northwestern University in Chemical Engineering and a B.Eng. from McGill University in Chemical Engineering & Philosophy. He is based in beautiful San Francisco, California.
Read about Magrathea’s $10mil seed round: https://www.lightmetalage.com/news/industry-news/magnesium/magrathea-raises-10m-for-new-generation-electrolytic-technology-to-make-magnesium/
Read a deep-dive into Magneisum’s characteristics, production techniques and recent developments: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213956721001316
Read Alex’s white paper - Magnesium as the Metal of Dematerialization: https://www.lightmetalage.com/news/industry-news/magnesium/magnesium-as-the-metal-of-dematerialization/
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