Clean tech innovator Mint Innovation has secured £8.1 million in funding to expand its technology platform to recover lithium, nickel and cobalt from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.
In collaboration with partners JLR, LiBatt Recycling – a subsidiary of Recyclus Group, and WMG at the University of Warwick, the project aims to prove Mint’s low-carbon hydrometallurgical black mass refining technology at demonstration scale.
The project aims to assist the UK automotive industry with onshore and circular supply of lithium, cobalt and nickel critical for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
Each partner within the consortium has a role to play in ensuring a sustainable lifecycle for lithium-ion batteries, from end-of-life battery supply and processing through to integrating recycled materials into new batteries, closing the loop and increasing supply chain resilience.
Building on Mint’s success in commercialising low-carbon technology for refining metals like gold and copper from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) in Sydney, and also Texas in the future, Dr Will Barker, CEO of Mint Innovation, said that this initiative is a pivotal step in broadening the technology platform to recover a wider range of metals from alternative waste products.
Barker said:
“Our team is incredibly excited to partner with JLR, LiBatt Recycling, Recyclus Group, and WMG in this innovative consortium. Together, we’re able to advance zero emission automative manufacturing at a faster pace, pioneering sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling solutions to secure onshore supply of green materials critical for the UK’s rapidly growing EV industry.”
Ian Constance, CEO of APC UK, said:
“This new investment underlines the commitment from Government to secure advanced manufacturing in the UK. I am pleased that the APC, Zenzic, and its delivery partners are here to facilitate a new wave of funding in the automotive industry, supporting innovation, driving scale-up, and enabling transformation.”
Robin Brundle, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder, Recyclus Group, said:
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Mint Innovation, JLR, and WMG on this ground-breaking project, which marks a major milestone in advancing the UK’s circular battery economy. Securing £4.05 million through the APC is not only a strong vote of confidence in the consortium, but also in the role innovative recycling technologies will play in securing domestic supply of critical materials.
“Mint’s scalable, low-carbon black mass refining process is exactly what the industry needs, and we believe this project will deliver tangible results that move us significantly closer to realising our cradle-to-cradle vision — where end-of-life batteries become the foundation for the next generation.”
Dr Beth Johnston, Assistant Professor at WMG, said:
“We’re incredibly excited to be working in this consortium to manufacture lithium-ion battery materials from recycled sources. Our advanced processes aim to not only deliver high-quality materials that meet the rigorous performance demands of the modern battery applications but also help to reduce our reliance on virgin materials, addressing critical supply chain challenges and advancing circularity to pave the way for more widespread and sustainable electrification.”
This project will take place in the West Midlands in the UK and will be delivered over three years, ending in 2028.
Image courtesy of Mint Innovation
