July 12, 2024: Technical Minerals associate, Recyclus, has signed an signed a black mass offtake agreement with LOHUM Cleantech, Indian battery recycling firm.

Once regulatory approval is received, Recyclus will sell the black mass produced at its lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Wolverhampton to LOHUM’s facility in India. The black mass, which includes metals such as lithium, manganese, nickel and cobalt will be reprocessed and reintegrated into the battery manufacturing supply chain.

LOHUM says it owns India’s biggest energy transition materials refinery producing high-purity market-ready products for partners including Mercedes Benz, MG Motor and Stellantis.

The partnership with Recyclus represents one of the world’s first examples of a circular materials ecosystem consisting of multiple recyclers in the same loop, the company said.

Technology Minerals reported that Recyclus has achieved a 47% recycling rate from end-of-life battery to black mass at its recycling facility in Wolverhampton adding that the partnership originated from Recyclus’ academic partnership with the University of Birmingham.

Robin Brundle, Technology Minerals chairman and a Recyclus director said: “It is a strong endorsement for our battery recycling process and demonstrates the demand for black mass.

“This deal further underscores our potential to build international trading partners as the world shifts to electrification.”

Rajat Verma, LOHUM’s CEO added: “We applaud Recyclus’ success in extracting black mass with viability and this partnership will effectively help both companies close the loop on battery raw materials.

“The black mass recovered by Recyclus will be further refined at LOHUM to yield various critical minerals vital to the energy development and energy security of nations worldwide.”

Technology Minerals owns 48.35% of Recyclus.