Empowering a responsible energy transition: Metso expands modular VSF® X solvent extraction offering

Metso has expanded its solvent extraction offering with a wider capacity range and improved features and is now also introducing the VSF^® X solvent extraction plant with extended scope. The modular VSF^® X plant, part of Metso’s Planet Positive offering, allows copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese producers, among others, to purify desired metals from the leach solution in a safe and sustainable manner. The VSF^® X technology can also be used in battery black mass recycling processes. 

“Solvent extraction is a crucial step in the production of essential battery metals and is gaining wider ground in hydrometallurgy applications. This is driven by the growing demand for higher purity metals and the increasing use of minerals to empower the energy transition. Our customers are seeking reliable and environmentally sound production processes with lower plant life cycle costs. Metso’s VSF^® X solvent extraction technology meets these needs and enables an efficient and economical solvent extraction process step for various ore bodies and recycled battery black mass,” explains Olli Siltala, Product Manager for the VSF^® X solvent extraction plants at Metso. 

“Metso is an expert one-stop shop for solvent extraction technology. We can provide customers with a tailor-made production process based on professional testing and piloting. The modularized plant offers excellent scalability and high quality with fluent logistics and fast-track delivery. The integrated plant consists of Metso’s highly productized proprietary equipment, like the VSF^® X mixer-settler, VSF^® X organic and crud treatment unit; Dual Media, Activated Carbon and GM filters, as well as new digital products such as DispersionSense^TM and OA Sense^TM topped up with process guarantees. We can also provide a broad range of services along with digital solutions to ensure optimized life-cycle performance of the plants,” says Siltala. 

Metso has been developing solvent extraction technologies and delivering both equipment and processes for several decades. VSF^® solvent extraction technology is recognized worldwide and is used, for example, in the largest copper solvent extraction facilities across the globe. Metso has over 50 operational references for the VSF^® solvent extraction plants and 10 for the modular VSF^® X plants. 

Read more about the Metso VSF^® X solvent extraction plant on our website.  

Further information: 

Olli Siltala, Product Manager, VSF^® X solvent extraction plant, Metso, tel. + 358 40 338 0395, email: olli.siltala(at)metso.com 

Henri Fredriksson, Product Manager, VSF^® X solvent extraction equipment, Metso, tel. +358 40 750 8081, email: henri.fredriksson(at)metso.com 

Helena Marjaranta, Vice President, Communications and Brand, Metso, tel. +358 20 484 3212, email: helena.marjaranta(at)metso.com 

Metso is a frontrunner in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services for the aggregates, minerals processing and metals refining industries globally. We improve our customers’ energy and water efficiency, increase their productivity, and reduce environmental risks with our product and service expertise. We are the partner for positive change.   

Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Metso employs over 17,000 people in close to 50 countries and sales for 2023 were about EUR 5.4 billion. The company is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. Metso.com, x.com/metsoofficial