US reviewing USD2.26B loan for Lithium Americas' Thacker Pass project

The Trump administration is reevaluating a $2.26 billion loan for Lithium Americas Corp.'s Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada, as per Chemweek.

The Biden administration approved the loan in 2024 under the DOE's Loan Programs Office (LPO). The funds will be used to build processing facilities at Thacker Pass, which hosts the world's third-largest lithium reserves and resources, based on S&P Global Market Intelligence data.

"DOE is utilizing a variety of tools, including the Loan Programs Office, to strengthen domestic supply chains for critical minerals and unleashing American energy dominance," the DOE spokesperson said in a statement. "We are continuing to evaluate the LPO portfolio to ensure our limited taxpayer resources are used to advance [the] best interests of the American people and generate a return on investment."

Lithium Americas told Platts that it remains in active discussions with the DOE and project partner, General Motors Co., regarding the department’s review.

The loan is a key part of the financing to advance Thacker Pass, General Motors told Platts. In October 2024, the automaker agreed to invest $625 million to acquire a 38% stake in the project, allowing the company to secure supplies of the mineral used in electric vehicle batteries.

"During his first term, [President Donald Trump] strongly supported the development of Nevada's Thacker Pass mine," General Motors said in a statement. "We're confident in the project, which supports the administration's goals, and have committed almost $1 billion to its development, including a nearly $200 million letter of credit."

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Germany's RCS Group has acquired a stake in Croatian PET waste recycling company Rekis, as per company.

The group announced that the acquisition will strengthen RCS's European network and expand its expertise in plastic bottle recycling technologies. The parties did not disclose details of the transaction.

Rekis, located in Donja Dubrava, Croatia, is a joint venture between Austrian beverage manufacturer Steinrieser and the Austrian-Croatian company KIS Pica. The plant utilizes a comprehensive process including sorting, shredding, hot washing, and pelletizing using Erema's Vacunite system. It produces approximately 15,000 tons of recycled PET (rPET) pellets annually, primarily used for preform and bottle production.

Over the past ten years, RCS Group has transformed itself from a simple waste management company into a major European player in plastic recycling. It currently operates two facilities in Werne, Germany. These plants supply beverage manufacturers with both food-grade and non-food-grade rPET. A third plant in Nordkirchen is under construction. Its annual recycling capacity is over 70,000 tons.

It was previously reported that Indorama and Varun Beverages will build two PET recycling plants in India.

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Invista Inc. (Wichita, Kansas) said it has received International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus certification for its polymerization process at its nylon 66 production site in Shanghai, China, as per Chemweek.

The certification system verifies the sourcing and traceability of bio-, circular- and bio-circular-derived materials, applying a mass-balance approach. The certification was awarded following an independent audit issued by SCS Global Services, Invista said Sept. 22.

“A major shift is taking place in China as customers across the market increasingly look for alternative products that meet their goals,” said Kyle Redinger, Invista’s Asia-Pacific vice president/upstream nylon.

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Clariant AG has reported operational results for its SynDane 3142 LA catalyst at Wanhua Chemical's maleic anhydride plant in Yantai, China, as per Chemweek.

The company said since its startup in 2024, the catalyst has improved efficiency and sustainability in one of the world's largest maleic anhydride production facilities, which boasts a capacity of 200,000 metric tons per year.

The SynDane catalyst has achieved notable performance metrics, including high yields and significantly reduced byproduct formation, demonstrating its effectiveness in optimizing the production process. Its design contributes to sustainability by minimizing pressure drop and lowering energy consumption, aligning with industry trends toward more eco-friendly manufacturing practices, it added.

Clariant’s Applied Catalyst Technology team, based at Panjin, China, has been instrumental in providing comprehensive technical support throughout the project, ensuring the successful implementation and operation of the catalyst.

According to the company, the SynDane 3142 LA is a selective oxidation catalyst featuring Clariant's proprietary double-alpha shape, which enhances its physical and chemical properties to maximize selectivity for maleic anhydride production. This unique design offers a distinct advantage over conventional ring-shaped catalysts by achieving higher productivity at reduced process and energy costs.

In addition to its operational efficiency, SynDane ensures high-quality maleic anhydride by minimizing the formation of undesirable byproducts, which significantly reduces plant downtime, said Clariant. Due to its operating stability, the catalyst boasts a long life cycle of over five years, making it a reliable choice for producers looking to enhance their manufacturing processes.

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Russia's Astrakhan gas processing plant, controlled by energy giant Gazprom, opens new tab, halted production of motor fuel on September 22 after a fire caused by a drone attack, three industry sources told Reuters.

They said the blaze had engulfed a condensate production unit with a capacity of 3 million metric tons per year. It produces gasoline and diesel.

They said the plant, located near the Caspian Sea, some 1,675 km (1,040 miles) from the Ukrainian border, might only resume production in several weeks or months.

Gazprom did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.

The local governor, Igor Babushkin, said on the Telegram messaging app on Monday that an industrial enterprise had been targeted by drones. He did not name the enterprise.

The St Petersburg commodity exchange halted sales of wholesale fuel parcels from the Astrakhan plant from Monday.

The plant was also hit by drones in early February, halting fuel output. Industry sources said the damaged unit had resumed operations at the end of August.

In 2024, the plant processed 1.8 million tons of stable condensate, producing 800,000 tons of gasoline, 600,000 tons of diesel and 300,000 tons of fuel oil, according to industry sources.

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