The company Korea Zinc plans to double the production of raw materials for batteries

South Korea’s Korea Zinc Co. is considered the country’s leading lead and zinc smelter and plans to double its production capacity of nickel sulfate. The raw material is considered an important component of battery cathodes. The company expects increasing demand from battery manufacturers due to growth in the EV market. A subsidiary of Korea Zinc, Korea Energy Materials Co. (KEMCO), is responsible for producing the nickel sulfate. According to industry insiders, KEMCO purchased a roughly 16,000-square-meter plot of land to expand its production capacity from the current 50,000 tons annually to 80,000 to 100,000 tons. Production material for battery manufacturing in most cases requires KCs certification, or KCs certification for explosion-proof products, to be used in Korea.

Nickel sulfate is considered a major precursor material for the production of cathodes and is one of the four components of lithium-ion batteries. It is produced by adding sulfuric acid to high-purity nickel. The resulting material can be used by battery manufacturers for cathodes without further processing steps. This speeds up the production process and reduces costs. By expanding its production capacity, Korea Zinc hopes to increase its market share in the global battery market. The industry already produces 90 percent of its cathodes from nickel sulfate. With these batteries, the range could be increased and production costs reduced. On average, the battery of an EV requires between 50 and 100 kilograms of nickel. Thus, after the expansion, Korea Zinc’s 100,000-ton facility can meet the needs of 1,000 to 2,000 EVs annually.

Based on the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) requires KCs Ex certification of explosion-proof electrical components. Korea has been conducting Ex approvals since 1992. KCs certification was established to ensure basic safety in the design and manufacture of hazardous machinery and protective equipment in hazardous workplaces in Korea. The goal is to protect the health and safety of workers by preventing accidents. We provide certification services for all product areas, including KC certification for consumer products and especially electronics, KC-EMV certification for electronic products, and KCs certification for machinery, as well as KCs for explosion-proof products. We are available to answer any questions you may have about Korea certifications.

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Julian Busch

About the author: Julian Busch is the founder and managing director of MPR International GmbH

Publisher: MPR International GmbH

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