Aqua Metals produces CAM from US-sourced nickel

Lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycler Aqua Metals Inc. has worked with industry partners to successfully produce what it claims is the first-ever cathode active material (CAM) made from 100 percent domestically sourced recycled nickel.

The company says the achievement represents a crucial step toward establishing a cleaner and more secure domestic battery supply chain in the U.S.

Using its proprietary AquaRefining process, Reno, Nevada-based Aqua Metals has recovered high-purity nickel from spent LIBs and battery manufacturing scrap. The company refined that recycled nickel into battery-grade nickel nitrate, a key precursor in advanced cathode production.

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The company says one of its domestic CAM manufacturing partners then used a low-carbon process to convert the nickel nitrate material into battery-grade CAM, which currently is being evaluated by a “Tier 1” lithium battery manufacturer under established qualification protocols. Aqua Metals reports that initial testing was positive, and the samples are progressing through the validation process.

Initial testing has shown that the recycled nickel CAM meets industry-standard chemical and electrochemical specifications set by the battery manufacturer, ensuring compatibility with existing cell production processes. Additional qualification testing will be ongoing to validate long-term performance metrics.

The battery recycler and its U.S.-based partner’s closed-loop production process reduces the carbon footprint of CAM manufacturing by an estimated 87 percent versus sourcing it from China.

“This milestone confirms that Aqua Metals’ technology enables the reclamation and reuse of critical minerals entirely within the United States, supporting both energy security and the clean energy economy,” Aqua Metals President and CEO Steve Cotton says. “We have demonstrated that a circular supply chain for battery materials is commercially viable today, and we are committed to scaling this solution to meet the growing demand for sustainable, high-performance battery components.”

Aqua Metals says its AquaRefining process eliminates the waste and emissions associated with conventional metal refining methods such as smelting and chemical-intensive hydrometallurgy. The company adds that the CAM manufacturer involved in this project uses a low-carbon, scrap-reducing process that eliminates sodium sulfate production—a major environmental burden of traditional CAM manufacturing. Aqua Metals and this manufacturer have established a collaborative framework to continue advancing their CAM production.

“By demonstrating a pathway to high-performance CAM with lower costs, reduced waste and a dramatically smaller environmental footprint, this collaboration provides a scalable model for the future of battery material production,” Aqua Metals says, adding that the successful production and testing of its recycled nickel-based CAM lays the groundwork for further expansion of U.S.-based battery recycling and material production.