BASF, a leading chemical and material science company, has launched a prototype of its metal refinery for battery recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany. It anticipates that the refinery will be crucial in recycling lithium-ion batteries and battery production scrap.

The prototype metal refinery will be used to develop operational procedures and fine-tune battery recycling technology. The refinery is set to process defunct lithium-ion batteries and scrap from batteries and extract valuable metals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and copper to maximum potential. BASF anticipates that the prototype metal refinery will also help enhance the steady supply of crucial battery raw materials.

Analyst QuickTake: The prototype refinery is a step toward complying with the updated EU Battery Regulation’s targets for recycling. BASF’s battery partnerships include Stena Recycling to develop improved black mass production processes and ABTC to create a closed-loop system for lithium-ion EV battery cells.