Cathode Active Material & Precursor Manufacturing worked example

Metal Sulfate Usage with metal sulfate feed rate of 30 kg / hr: a worked example

This scenario runs the metal sulfate usage calculation on the strong side: metal sulfate feed rate of 30 kg / hr, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it when metal sulfate usage in cathode active material and precursor manufacturing is being quoted and consumables are a real chunk of the cost stack.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Metal sulfate feed rate: 30 kg / hr (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 12)
  • Precursor reactor runtime: 8 hr (unchanged)
  • Delivered metal sulfate cost: 3.5 $ / kg (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Metal sulfate consumed = metal sulfate feed rate × precursor reactor runtime) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 840 $ for metal sulfate feedstock cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 240 units for metal sulfate consumed.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 8 hr for precursor reactor runtime.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3.5 $ / unit for delivered metal sulfate cost.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where metal sulfate feed rate sits at 12 kg / hr and the headline result is 336 $, this scenario comes in 150% above the baseline at 840 $.
  • Use it to cost a co-precipitation batch, reconcile sulfate draw-down against the precursor MES, or model how feed-rate setpoints affect campaign feedstock spend. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Metal sulfate feedstock cost: 840 $ (headline result)
  • Metal sulfate consumed: 240 units
  • Precursor reactor runtime: 8 hr
  • Delivered metal sulfate cost: 3.5 $ / unit

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Metal Sulfate Usage calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.