Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 6, Ascend Elements, headquartered in Covington, Georgia, has announced an important breakthrough in the recovery of critical minerals. Last month, the company produced over 99% pure recycled lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) from black mass at commercial scale for the first time. Black mass is the powder-like material obtained from used lithium-ion batteries during recycling. The achievement took place at Ascend Elements’ commercial-scale lithium recovery line with a capacity of 3,000 metric tons per year, demonstrating the feasibility of lithium recovery on an industrial scale.

The company plans to expand production to over 15,000 metric tons of recycled lithium carbonate annually in the United States and Europe by 2027. In addition to the Covington facility, Ascend Elements intends to establish a new state-of-the-art battery materials site in Europe that will include an advanced lithium recovery line.

Linh Austin, President and CEO of Ascend Elements, highlighted the significance of the achievement: “Ascend Elements is at the center of three macro trends: Electrification, localization and critical minerals. Our production of recycled lithium carbonate is an important milestone across all three of these trends. By producing recycled lithium carbonate at commercial scale in the United States and Europe, our team will advance energy independence, critical minerals security and electrification for the Western world.”

Lithium carbonate is a high-value material used in lithium-ion batteries, glass, and ceramics. It was added to the official U.S. federal government list of critical minerals in August 2025. Current supply for the United States comes predominantly from South America, accounting for about 98% of imports. Europe also relies on imports from South America and China, with limited domestic production and processing capacity in both regions.

Austin further emphasized the role of recycling: “I’d like to thank our team in Georgia, who worked tirelessly on this project. Recovering lithium from black mass is the most efficient way to source this critical mineral. In fact, the concentration of lithium in black mass is 10 times higher than in Chilean brine pools.”

Independent assessments have also confirmed the environmental advantages of Ascend Elements’ recovery method. A recent life cycle analysis reported that the company’s process produces 86% lower CO₂ equivalent emissions and 97% lower PM 2.5 emissions compared to spodumene mining. It also achieves 37% lower CO₂ emissions and 81% lower particulate emissions than brine extraction in Chile. By 2030, the company aims to reduce emissions even further, targeting 99% lower CO₂ and nearly 99.7% lower PM 2.5 emissions through decarbonization initiatives.

Founded in 2015, Ascend Elements has become a key supplier of critical minerals and engineered battery materials. The company uses its Hydro-to-Cathode® technology to produce new precursor cathode active material (pCAM) from spent lithium-ion batteries more efficiently than conventional approaches. This innovation not only improves the economics of battery material production but also supports lower carbon emissions, reinforcing the company’s role in sustainable energy and advanced materials development.