Scientists have developed a method to recover up to 90 % of lithium from used batteries.

New Record for a Japanese Battery Recycling Plant

Waste from battery disposal and the shortage of critically important minerals remain the main challenges in developing energy storage technologies. A breakthrough has recently emerged in Japan that could solve one of these problems.

Who? – JX Metals Circular Solutions Tsuruga

In the Tokyo-prefecture of Fukui is the metallurgical plant “Tsuruga,” which positions itself as a major player in battery recycling. According to Japanese TV channel NHK World, the plant has reached almost record levels of lithium extraction from spent lithium‑ion cells.

Who says it? – Tadashi Nakagawa

Vice president and head of JX Metals Circular Solutions Tsuruga, Tadashi Nakagawa, emphasized the importance of safe battery recycling in an interview with NHK World. “We hope that our technology will find application in this field and benefit all of Japan,” he said.

What changed? – Increased efficiency

Initially the plant extracted lithium from batteries at less than 50 %. Thanks to innovations and refinements of existing processes, efficiency rose to about 90 %. This places the Japanese facility among the leaders in lithium extraction rates worldwide, strengthening the country’s position in the battery recycling industry.

Why is this important? – Growing demand for batteries

With the spread of electric vehicles and increased consumption of electronics that use lithium‑ion batteries, the battery disposal sector is becoming increasingly significant. In 2023 the market for extracting lithium from spent batteries was valued at $13 billion, and it is projected to grow to $70 billion by 2035.

Thus, the Japanese plant demonstrates how technological improvements can reduce the environmental footprint of batteries and provide a more sustainable future for the energy sector.