Brunswick County is one of four U.S. sites eyed for what could become the world’s first commercial polymetallic nodule refinery.

The proposed facility, referred to in a news release as Project Infinity, is the product of a consortium between Australian minerals-processing and mining company Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited and Glomar Minerals LLC, an American critical-minerals company that's dedicated to exploring, collecting and processing seabed polymetallic nodules.

According to a news release, the companies are developing a “fully integrated business to harvest, process, market and sell critical minerals derived from polymetallic nodules, directly aligned with the United States (US) national strategy to establish new, secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains.”

“Polymetallic nodules represent a compelling, high-grade multi-metal feedstock, containing manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, titanium and rare earth elements in a single resource,” the release states.

The nodules are collected from the deep ocean floor using specialized robotic systems. They are then shipped to shore for processing, where multiple valuable metals are extracted.

Site selection is currently a focus for company officials. They’ve narrowed an initial list of more than 30 locations to four, with sites in Brunswick County, the Gulf Coast region of Texas and the New Orleans region.

“The selection of these four sites represents an important step toward building the infrastructure necessary to process and refine the materials that power our economy, support our military, and enable next-generation technologies,” Robbie Diamond, Glomar Minerals executive chairman, wrote in the release.

“Shortlisted sites are strategically positioned with port access, established infrastructure, available workforce, and streamlined permitting pathways, supporting both near-term development and future expansion,” the release stated. Other factors considered in the selection process included established utilities and transport networks and the availability of skilled labor.

Brunswick Business & Industry Development (Brunswick BID) Executive Director Bill Early said that the companies reached out to his organization earlier this year with a request for information (RFI) about the area. After receiving the RFI, they requested additional information from Brunswick BID.

“We’re excited about being selected as a finalist,”  Early said on Tuesday. “They’re continuing to do their due diligence as well as us. At this point, we’re just going to be prepared to provide them any information and assistance that they may need.”

While Early said he’s limited in what he can share about the project, it likely won’t require more than 100 acres and could create a couple hundred jobs. Early said he’s been told company officials are planning a site visit in the near future.

Early said Brunswick BID typically recommends a site, depending on the company’s needs, and officials typically meet with utility companies or workforce training groups that could support their operations during their visit.

“I'm just very pleased that they like Brunswick County,” Early said, “and have an interest in learning more about us.”

Project Infinity aims to process 200,000 tonnes of polymetallic nodules and 7,500 tonnes of cobalt hydroxide per annum, the release stated. 

Using Cobalt Blue’s proprietary technology, the refinery will be designed to produce high-purity manganese sulfate and cobalt sulfate for the battery markets, along with nickel and copper metal. According to the release, the remaining leach residues contain iron, titanium and light rare earths. Recovery of these metals is planned in a second phase of the project.

“Our collaboration with Glomar Minerals provides a compelling opportunity to utilize 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," Cobalt Blue CEO Andrew Tong wrote in a March release announcing plans for a U.S. facility.

"Moreover, this initiative delivers the U.S. government’s strategic focus on derisking supply chains to support defense and advanced manufacturing," he added. "Cobalt Blue is well-positioned to support the development of a scalable U.S.-based processing solution.”