Ascend Elements, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and engineered materials company, will supply Koura, an Orbia business and one of the world’s largest producers of fluoroproducts and advanced technologies, with up to 5,000 metric tons of recycled and recovered lithium carbonate per year. Koura will use the recycled lithium carbonate as the source for lithium-ion battery materials in the United States and European markets, including lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), an essential electrolyte salt. The supply agreement with Ascend Elements will enable Koura to generate enough material to support the production of more than one million electric vehicles per year. With more than half of U.S. and European car sales projected to be electric by 2030, demand for regional material supply is increasing.

"Koura is leading the industry's efforts to incorporate recycled content into materials for lithium-ion batteries," said Ascend Elements CEO Mike O'Kronley. "By recovering lithium and other critical metals from used lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap, we are keeping those materials out of landfills while also making EV batteries cleaner and more sustainable."

“Ascend Elements has been an ideal development partner for our Koura business, given our shared focus on renewable technologies and the massive opportunities for companies pioneering in batteries and energy storage,” said Sameer Bharadwaj, CEO of Orbia. “Our partnership with Ascend has accelerated our material innovation activities as we work to advance life around the world.”

Added Gregg Smith, President of Orbia Fluorinated Solutions (Koura), “Koura’s ongoing partnership with Ascend has led to gains in process technologies and fluorinated chemistries that yield sustainable materials for the high-performing lithium-ion batteries needed in major global markets. We are steering the electrified future together.

Ascend Elements’ battery recycling process recovers lithium carbonate from used lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap for sale to battery materials companies, such as Koura. The recycled lithium is also used by Ascend Elements as part of its patented Hydro-to-Cathode direct precursor synthesis process to produce sustainably engineered cathode precursor (pCAM) and cathode active materials (CAM).

The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act provides incentives for the use of domestic and recycled sources of critical battery materials, including lithium. Peer-reviewed studies have shown recycled battery metals can perform as well as virgin metals while reducing carbon emissions associated with mining.

Ascend Elements | https://ascendelements.com/

Orbia | orbia.com

Orbia's Fluorinated Solutions | kouraglobal.com