Cobalt Blue Holdings (ASX:COB) has been commissioned to undertake technical workstreams for a preliminary economic analysis (PEA) of Project Infinity, a proposed US-based polymetallic nodule refinery, with compensation of US$150,000 (approximately A$213,711). The company has entered into a contract with consortium partner Glomar Minerals to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of processing polymetallic nodules, with completion targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026. Cobalt Blue's contracted scope encompasses three key technical workstreams: metallurgical development, process plant design, and site layout and infrastructure assessment.
The work will focus on advancing metallurgical development and flowsheet design to extract manganese, copper, nickel, and cobalt from polymetallic nodule samples using the company's proprietary hydrometallurgical processing technology. Under the contract terms, Cobalt Blue will develop preliminary process flowsheet design and provide capital and operating cost estimates to an AACE Class V standard, which carries an accuracy range of approximately 30 to 50 percent. The scope also includes identifying processing site layout and infrastructure requirements to support ongoing US site selection evaluation, with four potential sites currently under assessment.
CEO Dr Andrew Tong commented on the contract significance, stating that the PEA work represents the next step in the company's expanding relationship with Glomar. He noted that the contract formalizes initial work programs on Project Infinity, particularly the flowsheet development testwork being conducted at the Broken Hill Technology Centre using nodule samples provided by Glomar. Project Infinity represents a consortium between Glomar and Cobalt Blue aimed at building and operating the first commercial polymetallic nodule refinery in the United States.
The integrated business model seeks to harvest, process, and sell manganese, copper, nickel, and cobalt extracted from polymetallic nodules. Glomar holds two exploration contracts for polymetallic nodules in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean, totalling 133,000 square kilometres through its wholly owned subsidiary UK Seabed Resources. Cobalt Blue highlighted that Project Infinity aligns with US national strategies to establish secure and resilient critical minerals supply chains.
Since the consortium's formation, the partners have progressed US site selection with candidate locations identified, and nodule samples have been delivered to Cobalt Blue's Broken Hill Technology Centre where initial testwork has already commenced. The PEA contract is based on Cobalt Blue's standard terms for third-party testwork and includes provisions relating to confidentiality, intellectual property, liability, and termination. Cobalt Blue Holdings is a mining and mineral processing company focused on developing critical minerals including copper, cobalt, and silver.
Source: Mining.com.au, written by Paula Fabe, published 28 September 2026.
Source: mining.com.au