Japan develops a method to recover up to 90% of lithium from used EV batteries

14 hours ago

Japanese scientists developed a method to recover up to 90% of lithium from used EV batteries.
The method uses recovered lithium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide, producing high-purity lithium.
This process reduces carbon emissions by about 40% compared to conventional recycling.
Lithium recovery can reduce Japan's reliance on imports and stabilize supply chains.
Current recycling rates are low, with only 14% of used batteries in Japan being officially recycled.
The innovation aims to scale up production by 2027 and extract tens of thousands of tons annually by 2035.
Global adoption could significantly impact EV battery sustainability and geopolitics.

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