Altilium, a UK-based clean technology group (earlier post), is partnering with battery materials and technology company Talga Group to recover graphite from old EV batteries for reuse in the production of new battery anodes. The collaboration marks a step towards securing a sustainable domestic source of graphite for the UK... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced $62 million for projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to increase consumer participation in consumer electronics battery recycling and improve the economics of battery recycling. With demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and stationary energy storage projected to expand the lithium battery market... Read more →

The European Council adopted the regulation to establish a framework to ensure a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials, better known as the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). This is the last step in the decision-making procedure. Following the Council’s approval the European Parliament’s position, the legislative act... Read more →

Australian Strategic Materials announced that it received a non-binding and conditional Letter of Interest (LoI) from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) to provide a debt funding package of up to US$600 million for the construction and execution phase of the rare earths and critical minerals Dubbo... Read more →

Cyclic Materials, an advanced metals recycling company building a circular supply chain for rare earth elements and other critical metals, is partnering with VACUUMSCHMELZE (VAC), a leading developer of magnetic materials and solutions. The companies have signed an agreement ensuring that by-products containing critical materials used in high-performance permanent magnets... Read more →

Discovery Lithium, a Canadian exploration company, signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire a 100% interest in Midex Resources, another Canadian lithium exploration company. Discovery Lithium would acquire a 43,000-hectare land position in known lithium-bearing pegmatite fields with resources within northwestern Ontario, including the Crescent Lake Project. The Crescent... Read more →

Toray Industries has developed an ion-conductive polymer membrane that delivers 10-fold the ion conductivity of predecessors. This new offering could accelerate the deployment of solid-state batteries, air batteries and other lithium-metal batteries, greatly expanding the cruising ranges of electric vehicles, industrial drones, urban air mobility systems, and other transportation modes.... Read more →

Albemarle Corporation recently announced a definitive agreement with the BMW Group to deliver battery-grade lithium to help the automaker pursue high-performance, premium electric vehicles (EVs). This multi-year agreement, which takes effect in 2025, is one of Albemarle’s largest ever globally and is of significant volume and value. In addition to... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced $750 million in funding for 52 projects across 24 states to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen selected and reinforce American leadership in the growing hydrogen industry. (Earlier post.) Among the recipients, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) was selected to... Read more →

The board of directors of POSCO International has approved the construction of a new traction motor core plant in Poland and a second plant in Mexico, completing the blueprint for producing 7 million traction motor cores by 2030. The company will be able to establish a global production cluster for... Read more →

Australia-based Arafura Rare Earths Limited secured conditional Commonwealth Government approval for a debt financing package of US$533 million to progress the Nolans Project in the Northern Territory. Arafura’s Nolans Project is a rare earth ore to oxide mine and processing facility. The Nolans Project will encompass a mine, process plant... Read more →

Solvay and Carester signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form a strategic partnership aimed at leveraging the expertise of both companies to pursue manufacturing opportunities within the rare earth industry for the permanent magnets value chain in Europe. The collaboration will enable both companies to enhance their respective strengths... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced a conditional commitment to Lithium Americas Corp’s subsidiary, Lithium Nevada Corp., for a $2.26 billion loan to help finance the construction of a lithium carbonate processing plant at Thacker Pass in Humboldt County, Nevada. (Earlier post.) The project is... Read more →

American Resources Corporation’s wholly owned subsidiary, ReElement Technologies Corporation,a provider of high-performance refining capacity of rare earth and critical battery elements, announced a partnership with EDP Renewables North America to advance sustainable practices in the wind energy sector through the EDPR NA’s newly launched Close the Loop Program. The focus... Read more →

Li-Cycle Holdings entered into an agreement to issue a senior secured convertible note in an aggregate principal amount of $75 million to an affiliate of Glencore, a leading producer, recycler, and marketer of nickel and cobalt for the production of lithium-ion batteries. This financing enhances Li-Cycle and Glencore’s existing long-term,... Read more →

Demand for energy transition minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper is escalating. For example, the demand for copper in clean energy systems is forecast to increase from 23% of total demand across all applications to more than 42% by 2050, according to UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade... Read more →

Kraiburg TPE recently released a new range of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) products that contain at least 73% recycled content. The new Recycling Content TPE for Automotive series has been designed to fulfill a variety of technical applications. Kraiburg TPE also announced an agreement with Tessi Supply, which will use the... Read more →

SiAT, a Taiwan manufacturer of advanced nanomaterials for batteries, is partnering with Taiwan CS Aluminum Corporation (CSAC). This collaboration marks the introduction of carbon nanotube-coated aluminum foil, designed to meet the growing demand for faster charging and extended lifespan in lithium-ion batteries, sodium batteries, and supercapacitors. The new product leverages... Read more →

Dutch battery developer LeydenJar Technologies will build its first factory at Strijp-T in Eindhoven. Set to open in 2026, LeydenJar’s PlantOne provides a production capacity of 70 MWh pure silicon anode for high energy density batteries. LeydenJar developed a pure silicon anode with 70% higher energy density than traditional anodes.... Read more →

Zelandez, a provider of technology to the lithium brine industry, announced the availability of its new Borehole Formation Tester (BFT) to lithium developers worldwide. The BFT is the slimmest pump-through formation tester and is designed to specifically address lithium miners’ needs by measuring aquifer pressure, analyzing fluids downhole in real-time,... Read more →

A technology developed by researchers at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) that can effectively capture heavy metals from acid mine drainage and municipal water supplies and extract beneficial critical minerals such as aluminum, nickel and rare earth elements (REE) from water, has been granted a US patent. The patent... Read more →

USA Rare Earth, LLC, a vertically integrated magnet technology company (earlier post), announced that it signed a supply agreement with American Resources Corporation’s ReElement Technologies Corporation (ReElement). Through this agreement, ReElement will supply high-purity rare earth oxides (REOs) to USARE for use at the company’s metal and magnet manufacturing facility... Read more →

China-based Sunrise New Energy (NASDAQ: EPOW) secured financing of US $14 million from China Everbright Bank. This low-interest loan bolsters the company’s liquidity, ensuring seamless production and delivery of client orders. Among its customers are battery manufacturers such as Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL), BYD and HiTHIUM. Headquartered in... Read more →

Syrah Resources Limited signed a binding offtake agreement with to Posco Future M Co., Ltd for natural graphite fines from Syrah’s Balama Graphite Operations in Mozambique. (Earlier post.) The offtake agreement is an important development in the company’s sales strategy to transition Balama natural graphite sales to a more geographically... Read more →

A team led by engineers at the University of California San Diego developed a new cathode material for solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries that is electrically conductive and structurally healable—features that overcome the limitations of these batteries’ current cathodes. The work was published in the journal Nature. Solid-state Li–S batteries (SSLSBs) are... Read more →

The US Geological Survey (USGS) is now soliciting proposals for fiscal year 2024 cooperative agreements to collect data on mine waste. Mine waste represents a potentially valuable source of critical minerals and rare earth elements that were not targeted in prior mining operations and that can be developed without impacting... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Electronics Scrap Recycling Advancement Prize (E-SCRAP), which will award up to $4 million to competitors to increase substantially the production and use of critical materials recovered from electronic scrap (e-scrap). E-scrap—which includes mobile phones, home appliances, medical or office equipment, and anything... Read more →

The Coretec Group, developer of silicon anode active materials for lithium-ion batteries and cyclohexasilane (CHS) for EV, cleantech, and 3D display technology, and Core Optics, have entered into a definitive share exchange agreement pursuant to which, on the closing date, the company is expected to acquire 100% of the membership... Read more →

Mitsubishi Corporation entered into a binding agreement with Frontier Lithium, a Canadian lithium mining company, to form a new joint venture company dedicated to developing the PAK Lithium Project located in Ontario, Canada. MC will acquire a 7.5% equity interest in the JV in exchange for cash considerations of C$25... Read more →

Vibrantz Technologies announced the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluating the greenhouse gas emissions of its high-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate (HPMSM), a key raw material for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs). The LCA analyzed Vibrantz’s processes at its existing Tertre, Belgium, facility and planned production in... Read more →

X-BATT has unveiled composite anode materials utilizing renewable, bio-derived materials. By leveraging agricultural waste products as a low-cost carbon source, X-BATT aims to address the critical mineral shortage threatening the electrification movement by replacing or supplementing graphite with abundant, renewable resources while promoting carbon sequestration, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and... Read more →

Cyclic Materials, an advanced metals recycling company building a circular supply chain for rare earth elements and other critical metals, has expanded its operations to accept two new feedstock streams: wind turbine generators and MRI machines. Through its strong partnership network, Cyclic has already sourced 37 MW capacity of wind... Read more →

Canada Rare Earth Corp. has established rare earth supply operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) marking a significant milestone in its expansion strategy. The proprietary operations in the DRC will be conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Simba Essential Minerals S.A.S., incorporated in December 2023. By establishing our proprietary... Read more →

Bekaert and Toshiba Energy Systems and Solutions Corporation entered into a global partnership which includes a strategic cooperation agreement, and a manufacturing technology license for Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEA), a key component for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, that will help to accelerate the advance towards green hydrogen production. The... Read more →

Constellium SE is leading a new R&D; initiative called “Close the Loop” in partnership with an ecosystem of recycling companies in France, including INDRA (automotive recycling), GALLOO (metal recycling) and MTB RECYCLING (metal shredding & sorting). Funded in part by the French Environmental Agency ADEME under the France 2030 program,... Read more →

The Government of Canada awarded C$18.1 million (US$13.4 million) from its Low Carbon Economy Fund to Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) to support the decarbonization of iron ore processing at its operations in Labrador West. The funding will enable IOC to reduce the amount of heavy fuel... Read more →

Santos has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with one of South Australia’s biggest commercial industrial gas users, Liberty Primary Metals Australia Pty Ltd (part of GFG Alliance), to enter into discussions for gas supply combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS) opportunities to support the green steel transformation of... Read more →

Researchers at McGill University have developed a sustainable and cost-effective neodymium (Nd) extraction technology from electronic waste using a carboxylate functionalized nanocellulose (CFNC). An open-access paper on their work is published in the RSC journal Green Chemistry. We demonstrate a solution-processed synthesis of CFNC from a cost-effective, readily available cellulose... Read more →

Aston University researchers will explore the use of gel electrolyte materials to make lithium-ion batteries safer and less environmentally damaging. The University has received a grant of £443,058 from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to develop safe, reliable, sustainable and commercially relevant gel electrolyte materials. Currently batteries and... Read more →

Australia-based Hastings Technology Metals Limited has entered into a binding term sheet providing for an integrated tolling and offtake arrangement for rare earth concentrate with Baotou Sky Rock Rare Earth New Material Co., Ltd, supporting improved economics for Stage 1 of its 100%-owned Yangibana Rare Earths Project. The Yangibana Project... Read more →

Switzerland-based Terra Quantum is collaborating with leading steel manufacturer POSCO Holdings to deploy quantum AI for optimizing steel production, specifically focusing on POSCO’s advanced blast furnaces. The partners will demonstrate the potential of Quantum Neural Networks to enhance efficiency, targeting tangible outcomes such as reduced emissions and energy consumption. POSCO... Read more →

In a follow up to one of last year’s largest cleantech private equity placements, Ascend Elements raised $162 million in new equity investments. Major investors include Just Climate, Clearvision Ventures, and IRONGREY. The new equity financing brings the company’s 12-month funding total to $704 million, including the $542 million funding... Read more →

SQM Lithium Ventures announced a follow-on investment of US$9.43 million in Altilium, a UK-based clean technology group focused on supporting the energy transition to net zero (earlier post), bringing Altilium’s total investment to US$12 million. The investment completes Altilium’s Series A funding round and marks the largest investment to date... Read more →

South 8 Technologies, the developer of LiGas, liquefied gas electrolyte for advanced lithium-ion batteries (earlier post), has demonstrated high performance on cobalt-free, low nickel, and high-energy battery cells designed for next generation electric vehicles (EV). LiGas is a blend of non-toxic, non-corrosive gases that liquefies under pressure, enabling several safety... Read more →

Niron Magnetics, a company developing high-performance, rare earth-free permanent magnets, (earlier post), has received $25 million in new strategic funding in a round led by Samsung Ventures. Allison Ventures, the venture capital arm of Allison Transmission, was also part of this funding round, along with one of the world’s largest... Read more →

A team from the Beijing University of Chemical Technology has used a formic acid–hydrogen peroxide system for the efficient selective leaching of lithium ions from spent lithium iron phophate batteries. A paper on their process is published in thr Journal of Power Sources. With rapid technology development and the support... Read more →

On the back of offtake agreements with Panasonic Energy and General Motors Holdings (earlier post), Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) has closed Mitsui & Co. and Pallinghurst Bond Limited for an aggregate combined investment of US$87.5 million to advance NMG’s development toward commercial operations. Map of NMG’s integrated extraction and advanced... Read more →

Australia-based South32 Limited announced final investment approval for the Taylor deposit, the first development at its Hermosa zinc project in Arizona. Hermosa was the first mining project added to the US Government’s FAST-41 process and is currently the only advanced project in the United States which could supply two federally... Read more →

Cleveland-Cliffs successfully completed a hydrogen injection trial at its Indiana Harbor #7 blast furnace, the largest blast furnace in North America, with a production capacity of 5.5 million tons of iron a year. This represents the second Cleveland-Cliffs blast furnace to utilize hydrogen as a reductant and fuel source, following... Read more →

LG Energy Solution signed an offtake agreement with Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy and Fertilisers (WesCEF) for lithium concentrate, further advancing the companies’ pre-existing partnership driven by the objective to deliver efficient and sustainable power solutions to the North American market. Under the agreement, WesCEF will supply LG Energy Solution up to... Read more →