The continued adoption of batteries for Mobility and Energy will require the deployment of technologies and infrastructure to incorporate spent batteries back into the supply chain. Recycled battery material drives more sustainable practices and improves resource security. The European Union has stipulated that by 2031 all batteries must contain 6% recycled lithium material and up to 12% by 2036. In the United States, batteries containing critical minerals recycled in North America are expected to support vehicle qualification for the Inflation Reduction Act consumer tax credit for EVs.
Recycling enables a closed-loop supply chain and comprises a series of steps that breaks down spent batteries into black mass, separates the different metal streams, and ultimately upgrades the waste streams into precursors for cathode manufacturing. We are using our expertise in refining lithium into high-purity products to get lithium sulfate from black mass back into the battery supply chain.
