In a significant development for the U.S. battery manufacturing supply chain, American Resources announced a joint venture with India’s LOHUM Cleantech Ltd. The collaboration aims to establish the United States’ first fully integrated battery recycling, repurposing, and critical material production facility. The project, which involves an initial investment of US$30 Million, is expected to create 250 green jobs and supply materials for over 315,000 electric vehicles annually.
The 15.5 GWh facility will be located at the Marion Advanced Technology Center in Indiana, with plans to expand to additional sites. This initiative will encompass the whole lifecycle of batteries and critical minerals, including cell testing, segregation for second-life applications, recycling, and refining, to produce battery-grade materials with purity levels above 99.5%.
Rajat Verma, Founder & CEO of LOHUM, highlighted the joint venture as a step towards resilient critical material supply chains in the U.S., emphasizing the importance of circularity. Mark Jensen, Chairman of American Metals and ReElement Technologies, expressed satisfaction with the partnership, noting the combined expertise in lithium-ion battery recycling.
LOHUM is recognized as India’s largest producer of sustainable critical minerals and has been awarded ‘The Most Innovative Company of the year 2022’ by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The company boasts proprietary technology for battery material recycling that produces zero waste.
ReElement Technologies Corporation, on the other hand, is focused on creating a circular supply chain for critical and rare earth elements, utilizing patented technologies and research partnerships with universities.
The venture is positioned to enhance North America’s domestic ecosystem for recycled, high-purity lithium, which is crucial for the region’s lithium-based battery manufacturing. It aims to reduce capital expenditure, environmental impact, and operational costs associated with the separation and purification of battery materials.