US Battery Recycling Partnership Launches to Secure Domestic Lithium Supply Chain

Several initiatives are advancing lithium-ion battery recycling and domestic supply chains to support the growing electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage markets. American Resources Corporation and its subsidiaries Electrified Materials and ReElement Technologies have partnered with Blackion to create a vertically integrated, U.S.-based supply chain focused on recycling lithium-ion batteries and producing battery-grade lithium carbonate, especially from lithium iron phosphate (LFP) sources. Similarly, UK-based Mint Innovation secured £8.1 million to scale up its low-carbon hydrometallurgical technology for recovering lithium, nickel, and cobalt from end-of-life batteries, collaborating with automotive and recycling partners to strengthen the UK’s circular battery economy. On the technology front, Silicon Valley startup Lyten is progressing lithium-sulfur battery development with plans for military and EV applications, aiming to reduce dependence on China by building a domestic supply chain. In Europe, a French-Chinese joint venture between Manitou Group and Hangcha Group is set to establish a lithium-ion battery factory in France to facilitate upgrades from lead-acid to lithium-ion batteries in industrial vehicles, supporting Manitou’s goal of increasing electric unit sales. These developments collectively highlight a global trend toward sustainable battery production and recycling to meet expanding energy storage and EV demands while reducing reliance on foreign supply chains.