Electra Battery Materials announced a joint venture, named Aki Battery Recycling, with Indigenous-owned economic development agency Three Fires Group.
The goal will be to produce battery black mass through the responsible recycling of lithium-ion battery scrap and waste material. Once done, that black mass will be sold to Electra’s refinery so they can recover lithium, nickel, cobalt, and other critical minerals. Then they will use these minerals to produce new lithium-ion batteries.
“Aki Battery Recycling aims to address the environmental impact of future battery waste in Ontario and beyond, by returning battery scrap back into the supply chain,” said Trent Mell, CEO of Electra, in a statement. “This venture not only aligns with our mission to onshore North America’s EV battery supply chain, but to do so sustainably and through a scalable solution to meet the growing needs of the North American electric vehicle industry.”
The Three Fires Group will lead the capital resourcing of the joint venture, and will source and determine the location of the future facility. Electra will provide technical and commercial leadership to the project.
Reggie George, Executive Director of Special Projects and Partnerships at Three Fires Group, said the agency is excited to team-up with Electra’s industry-leading hydrometallurgical capabilities to address battery waste.
“Aki Battery Recycling will provide a full-circle solution, including a new primary recycling facility located in southern Ontario, to shred lithium-ion batteries, process the scrap, and provide a steady supply of black mass, which will then be refined by Electra at its refinery complex,” said George in a statement.
