Cobalt Blue and Glomar Minerals Partner on Nodule Processing

Consortium aims to build processing facility in the U.S.

We are very pleased to announce that Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited has entered into a consortium agreement with Glomar Minerals LLC to advance the development of a critical minerals processing facility in the US. The venture combines Glomar Minerals’ licenses and offshore minerals extraction capabilities with Cobalt Blue’s proven expertise in critical minerals processing.

Polymetallic nodules provide an abundant, multi‑metal resource containing cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), rare earth elements and titanium (Ti), enabling multi‑commodity production from a single feedstock source. 

The consortium will soon progress feasibility studies for the processing of polymetallic nodules, including piloting testwork at Cobalt Blue’s Broken Hill Technology Centre. At the same time, development planning is underway for a proposed “world-first” processing facility in the United States, with a targeted capacity of approximately 200,000 tonnes per annum. 

Why this partnership?

Following extensive global technical due diligence, Glomar Minerals selected Cobalt Blue as its processing partner for the proposed US-based facility, recognising the Company’s leading capabilities in critical minerals refining. This partnership is a key step in advancing Cobalt Blue’s strategy and will: 

• Position Cobalt Blue as a preferred, US-aligned processing technology partner, strengthening its role in the development of secure and reliable critical minerals supply chains;

• Demonstrate the scalability of Cobalt Blue’s patented flowsheet across multi‑metal feedstocks, reinforcing its position as a mid‑stream processing technology leader;

• Create near‑term commercial opportunities through testwork, piloting and engineering services for Glomar and future partners;

• Expand utilisation of the Broken Hill Technology Centre, further establishing it as a globally recognised hydrometallurgical R&D hub; and

• Place Cobalt Blue at the forefront of a strategically important, emerging industry, enhancing long‑term growth and shareholder value. 

Cobalt Blue’s role as a technology partner 

Under the consortium agreement, Cobalt Blue will be responsible for: 

• Developing and testing the process flowsheet for recovery of critical metals, including Mn, Co, Cu, Ni and Ti from polymetallic nodules at its Broken Hill Technology Centre; and

• Undertaking pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for a ~200,000 tpa processing facility in the United States, with site selection activities already well advanced.

CEO Dr Andrew Tong said, “Our collaboration with Glomar Minerals provides a compelling opportunity to utilise Cobalt Blue’s patented hydrometallurgical technology for a new, significant multi-commodity feedstock. Polymetallic nodules offer the prospect of supplying multiple critical minerals from a single resource stream. Moreover, this initiative delivers the US Government’s strategic focus on derisking supply chains to support defence and advanced manufacturing. Our technical work to date indicates that high metal recoveries are achievable. Cobalt Blue is well positioned to support the development of a scalable US-based processing solution.”