MTM Critical Metals Signs MOU with Vendanta Ltd. to Pioneer Alumina Waste Recycling

HOUSTON, March 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MTM Critical Metals (ASX: MTM; OTCQB: MTMCF) announced it has signed a memorandum of Understanding with Vendanta, Ltd., a global giant in aluminum production and industrial sustainability.

Under the terms of the non-binding MOU, MTM will collaborate with Vendanta to explore use of their proprietary, patented Flash Joule Heating (FJH) Technology to recycle Vendanta's Red Mud (bauxite tailings) and recover valuable metals, including iron, alumina, titanium, gallium, scandium, rare earths that are "locked up" by the iron.

"Since our technology can recover the iron, once that is removed, recovery of remaining valuable metals in the red mud will be possible and can be used as raw material for the manufacture of 'green' cement. Red mud is viewed as a great cement additive," explained MTM Managing Director and CEO Michael Walshe. "If iron can be removed to a certain level, the resulting 'green' cement will have a lower CO2 footprint verses traditional material."

MTM has already demonstrated that its FJH process can reduce iron from Vendanta-supplied red-mud in pilot studies. Next steps will focus on recovery of residual alumina, titanium and other metals from Vendanta's red mud.

Globally, red mud is a significant waste problem. More than four billion tons currently sit in 'hazardous' tailings deposits with millions of tons of valuable contained metals still encapsulated in these stockpiles. "This effort represents a significant new opportunity for our process," affirmed Walshe.

There are no financial obligations or payments stipulated under this non-binding MOU; the collaboration is structured to assess technical feasibility and commercial viability, with potential future agreements to define any financial considerations including feedstock supply, processing costs, revenue-sharing and licensing arrangements to be considered following this pilot program. The MOU will remain in effect for 12 months from signing unless extended by mutual agreement.

A full announcement on this MOU has been filed with the ASX and can be found here: https://investorhub.mtmcriticalmetals.com.au/announcements/6861110

MTM Critical Metals, Ltd. (https://www.mtmcriticalmetals.com.au), with offices in Perth, Australia and Houston, Texas, specializes in advanced metal recovery technologies. Through it's 100% owned USA subsidiary, Flash Metals USA, MTM possesses exclusive licensing rights to Flash Joule Heating Technology, an innovative metal recovery and mineral processing method developed by researchers at Rice University. The technology is an advanced electrothermal process that enhances metal recovery and mineral processing compared to traditional methods. By rapidly heating materials in a controlled atmosphere, FJH efficiently extracts metals like lithium from spodumene, gallium from scrap, and gold from e-waste. Technology has potential to revolutionize metal recovery by reducing energy consumption, reagent use, and waste, offering a more economical and environmentally friendly alternative.

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SOURCE MTM Critical Metals