UK backs domestic black mass recycling

A project supported by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) to prove the viability of low-carbon, hydrometallurgical black mass refining technology is underway in the UK.

The £8.1 million (EUR 9.4 million) scheme has been established by start-up Mint Innovation in collaboration with JLR, LiBatt Recycling and WMG at the University of Warwick.

Around half of the investment is government funding. The goal is to prove Mint can recover materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt to support a domestic circular battery supply chain for electric vehicles (EVs).

According to the UK Government’s Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), more than 230 000 tonnes of EV battery waste will be generated in the UK by 2040. However, the UK currently lacks industrial-scale recyclers capable of producing verified recycled battery materials.

Secure supplies

‘Together, we’re able to advance zero emission automative manufacturing at a faster pace, pioneering sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling solutions to secure onshore supply of green materials critical for the UK’s rapidly growing EV industry,’ says Will Barker, ceo of Mint Innovation.

Each partner within the consortium has a role to play in ensuring a sustainable lifecycle for lithium-ion batteries, from end-of-life battery supply and processing through to integrating recycled materials into new batteries, closing the loop and increasing supply chain resilience.

Tangible results

Robin Brundle, co-founder of Recyclus called the project ‘ground-breaking’ and a major milestone in advancing the UK’s circular battery economy.

‘Mint’s scalable, low-carbon black mass refining process is exactly what the industry needs, and we believe this project will deliver tangible results that move us significantly closer to realising our cradle-to-cradle vision where end-of-life batteries become the foundation for the next generation.’

The project will be based in the West Midlands region and will be delivered over the next three years.