What a tonne of NCA Pouch black mass contains
Black mass is the fine fraction left after cells are discharged, shredded and separated from casings, foils and plastics. For NCA Pouch, the cathode is nickel cobalt aluminium, which sets the metal profile before any processing choice is made.
The figures below are what our hydrometallurgical route recovers from typical NCA Pouch feed. They vary with pack design, how much of the cell ends up in the fine fraction and how cleanly copper and aluminium were separated upstream.
| Metal | kg per 100 kg black mass | kg per tonne | Role in value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lithium | 3.4 | 34 kg | Recovered as carbonate or hydroxide |
| Nickel | 24.8 | 248 kg | Primary value driver |
| Cobalt | 4.1 | 41 kg | High value per kg |
| Manganese | 0.4 | 4 kg | Minor contributor |
| Copper | 12.9 | 129 kg | Recovered early as foil |
Where the value actually sits
With 24.8 kg of nickel and 4.1 kg of cobalt per 100 kg, most of the payable value in NCA Pouch black mass comes from those two metals. Lithium adds a meaningful share, and copper foil recovered before shredding is close to exchange value.
On our current pricing model, black mass credit works out near USD 7.1 per kg of pack mass — roughly USD 38 per kWh of original capacity for a NCA Pouch pack weighing about 5.4 kg per kWh.
What erodes realised recovery
NCA black mass is valuable for its nickel and cobalt, and the aluminium in the cathode is a known factor refiners account for during leaching and purification.
Settlement is based on assay, so sampling method matters as much as the chemistry. A homogenised, properly split sample protects both sides of the contract.
- Copper and aluminium carry-over from incomplete separation
- Moisture above contract limits, which is deducted from payable weight
- Fluoride from electrolyte salts that was not removed in pretreatment
- Mixed chemistries in one lot, which dilutes the payable metals
Field note