10:20 AM EDT, 09/09/2024 (MT Newswires) -- TMC (TMC) said Monday it produced high-temperature calcine in the first phase of a commercial-scale project to process a 2,000 metric ton sample of deep-seafloor polymetallic nodules at its partner Pamco's facility in Hachinohe, Japan.

Engineers produced 500 tons of calcine, which will cool slowly before being transferred to Pamco's demonstration smelting facility, the company said.

TMC said Pamco plans to begin commercial-scale smelting of the calcine into a high-grade nickel-copper-cobalt alloy and manganese silicate in the coming months.