SK Innovation licenses lithium recycling tech to US firm

South Korea’s SK Innovation has entered the global battery recycling market by licensing its lithium recovery technology to US-based KBR.

The deal pairs SK Innovation’s BMR technology with KBR’s PureLi purification system. KBR will commercialise it globally, while SK Innovation receives royalties. The contract was signed at the Fastmarkets European Battery Raw Materials conference in Lisbon.

Innovative solution

BMR technology recovers lithium hydroxide directly from used batteries before extracting nickel, cobalt and manganese. Conventional methods typically recover lithium later as carbonate, often with lower purity.

Meanwhile, KBR’s PureLi crystallisation removes impurities, producing battery-grade lithium hydroxide. Combined, the technologies deliver high-quality lithium for batterie. The innovation is being claimed as a breakthrough for the growing volume of electric vehicles (EVs) awaiting recycling. 

KBR, headquartered in Houston, Texas is a global engineering and energy solutions provider. The company develops and commercialises technologies across chemicals, refining, and energy sectors. Its experience in large-scale industrial processes positions it to scale SK Innovation’s lithium recovery technology worldwide.

Market leadership

SK Innovation has developed BMR since 2017, combining research with expertise in refining and petrochemicals to overcome limitations of conventional lithium recovery.

In 2021, the company opened a commercial-scale demonstration plant in Daejeon, capable of supplying lithium hydroxide for 800 EVs annually. SK Innovation holds more than 100 domestic and international patents for high-purity lithium.

Kim Pil-seok, head of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at SK Innovation, says: ‘Our innovative lithium recovery technology meets the EU Battery Directive’s strict recycling targets. Lithium recovered through this process has already been validated for battery performance.

‘We are committed to leading the global battery recycling industry, focusing on environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance.’