First commercial advanced black mass recycling plant in U.S. opens
The facility marks a milestone in domestic battery materials recovery using PNE’s proprietary process
Princeton NuEnergy Inc. (PNE) operates from its headquarters in Princeton, NJ, where it operates a global lithium-ion battery direct recycling, materials rejuvenation, and cathode manufacturing business. Now, PNE has officially opened its mlestone Advanced Black Mass (ABM) recycling production facility.
PNE's ongoing commitment to producing high-purity ABM
Located in Chester, South Carolina, PNE's flagship recycling facility is the nation's first commercial-scale Advanced Black Mass and battery-grade cathode active material production facility (both NCM and LFP chemistries), demonstrating the company's ability to regenerate and produce critical battery minerals domestically.
PNE's 5,000 tpa flagship produces a consistent, high-purity ABM from manufacturing scrap using a proprietary advanced recycling process. Fully permitted and compliant with all U.S. and state environmental and operational standards, the Chester facility operates under strict SOPs to ensure safety, traceability, and material quality.
The operation has achieved a recovery yield exceeding 97 percent, producing high-value downstream feedstock for battery production. In 2026, the Chester facility's capacity will expand to 15,000 tpa, scaling up to 50,000 tpa as market demand grows.
PNE currently operates a joint pilot facility with a co-located partner in McKinney, Texas, that is further advancing its direct recycling technologies and capabilities. Nationally, PNE is building a network dedicated to U.S. closed-loop battery material recovery and production. In Princeton, New Jersey, PNE has launched a Materials Testing Center, the largest in the northeast, for third-party validation and downstream application testing, providing a resource to accelerate U.S. battery manufacturing.
"In Chester, we demonstrate that the United States can lead in battery materials recovery and manufacturing — not years from now, but today," stated Dr. Chao Yan, PNE's co-founder and CEO. "Our team's execution has been exceptional, and this facility is our next major advancement in the battery supply chain space," Dr. Yan concluded. "United States policy is focused on creating a secure domestic energy production and supply chain, and PNE is at the forefront with our best-in-class technology and manufacturing processes."
