Chemical producer BASF has started operating its prototype metal refinery for battery recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany.
The plant is focused on the development of operational procedures and the optimization of battery recycling technology, processing end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and battery production scrap. This will facilitate the optimal recovery of metals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and copper.
The refinery is part of the company’s plan to build a co-located center of battery materials production and battery recycling in Schwarzheide. BASF’s existing cathode active materials plant and a battery recycling plant for the production of black mass, which is scheduled to start operations later this year, are also located at the site.
“With the expected rapid growth of the electric vehicle market, battery recycling provides competitive and sustainable access to critical metals,” said Daniel Schönfelder, President of BASF’s Catalysts division, who is also responsible for the company’s battery materials and battery recycling business. “We will use the extracted metals to enable a local circular economy for the battery value chain.”
Source: BASF
