Ascend Elements recovers nearly 100% pure recycled lithium carbonate from used batteries
The company plans to commercially produce more than 15 kilotons of recycled lithium carbonate annually
Ascend Elements achieved a significant milestone in domestic critical minerals recovery last month - producing more than 99 percent pure, recycled lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) from black mass for the first time in U.S. history. Black mass is a dark, powdery material recovered from used lithium-ion batteries during the recycling process. The company operated an advanced, commercial-scale lithium recovery line at its battery recycling facility in Covington, Georgia, last month to demonstrate the commercial viability of lithium recovery and recycling. Ascend Elements plans to produce more than 15,000 metric tons of recycled Li2CO3 per year in the United States and Europe by 2027.
Ascend Elements achieves critical mineral recovery
Lithium carbonate is a highly valuable critical mineral listed on the official U.S. federal government list of critical minerals published in August 2025. It is used to manufacture lithium-ion batteries, glass and ceramics. According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, 98 percent of U.S. lithium carbonate imports come from South America. Europe also imports most of its lithium carbonate from South America and China. The United States and Europe currently have limited capacity to mine and process lithium carbonate.
A recently published life cycle assessment found that Ascend Elements' lithium recovery process is significantly cleaner than traditional mining processes - producing 86 percent lower carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions and 97 percent lower particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) emissions than spodumene mining and 37 percent lower CO2e emissions and 81 percent lower PM 2.5 emissions than Chilean brine extraction. By 2030, Ascend Elements aims to achieve 99 percent lower CO2e emissions and up to 99.7 percent lower PM 2.5 emissions through additional decarbonization efforts.
"Ascend Elements is at the centre of three macro trends: electrification, localization, and critical minerals. Our production of recycled lithium carbonate is an important milestone across all three of these trends," said Linh Austin, president and CEO of Ascend Elements. "By producing recycled lithium carbonate at commercial scale in the United States and Europe, our team will advance energy independence, critical minerals security, and electrification for the Western world."
Austin continued, "I'd like to thank our team in Georgia, who worked tirelessly on this project. Recovering lithium from black mass is the most efficient way to source this critical mineral. In fact, the concentration of lithium in black mass is 10 times higher than in Chilean brine pools."
