American Manganese Files National Phase Patent Applications for the RecycLiCo Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Process

Applications Filed into National Phase for Europe, South Korea, Canada, India, Australia, Japan, and China to Strengthen Patent Portfolio

SURREY, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 3, 2021 / American Manganese Inc. (TSXV:AMY)(OTCQB:AMYZF)(FSE:2AM) ("AMY" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the filing of National Phase Patent Applications (NPPA) to further strengthen the Company's patent portfolio. The Company's original PCT Application No. PCT/US/2020/021888 was filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization and is now filed into the national phase for Europe, South Korea, Canada, India, Australia, Japan, and China.

The patent within the NPPA is the second invention contained in the Company's RecycLiCo battery recycling process. The patent encompasses novel process functions that further enhance the RecycLiCo process and expand the processing capability for various waste battery input materials.

These process functions and their benefits to the battery industry include:

1. The recovery of graphite and treatment of black mass material originating from the mechanical size reduction of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.
   
   Bloomberg is projecting 56 million passenger electric vehicles sales worldwide in 2040, and the need to recycle the trailing volume of end-of-life batteries will be a certainty. Therefore, black mass is expected to be the most common input material for hydrometallurgical processing, and significant demand for advanced and efficient processing of black mass material will be required. The RecycLiCo process presents a significant opportunity to reintroduce these critical battery materials back into the supply chain.
2. The treatment of fluoride originating from the lithium-ion battery electrolyte.
   
   The electrolyte is a highly toxic and hazardous lithium-ion battery material found in some black mass materials. If not treated, it could lead to complications in downstream recycling functions and environmental damage.
3. The separation of aluminum from cathode active material in battery manufacturing scrap.
   
   Lithium-ion battery manufacturing includes coating cathode active material containing lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt to an aluminum foil to form the cathode electrode. This manufacturing process can result in off-spec cathodes that are scrapped as waste, which the RecycLiCo process can treat to produce high-quality cathode materials for battery re-manufacturing.

"I'm proud of the excellent patent portfolio that we have built for efficient lithium-ion battery recycling and, in addition, a significant underlying value of American Manganese," said Larry Reaugh, President and CEO of American Manganese. "This patent was first issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on June 5, 2019, which was only 81 days from the initial filing date. From our internal review of all issued patents by the US Patent Office, we indicated that our patent was the fastest issued patent under the Chemistry of Inorganic Compounds classification."