Wildcat, Austin Elements working to close loop on LFP, LMFP batteries

San Diego-based cathode producer Wildcat Discovery Technologies and Houston-based critical minerals recycler and sustainable lithium iron phosphate (LFP) precursor producer Austin Elements Inc. have signed a memorandum of understanding to partner on closing the loop for lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) batteries.

Under the agreement, the companies will convert end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap into LMFP cathode materials. Austin Elements will produce battery-grade lithium carbonate and iron phosphate from LMFP black mass, which will be supplied to Wildcat for use in its proprietary cathode materials.

The companies say their partnership strengthens the U.S. supply chain for critical minerals and supports the objectives of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing Recycling Selections. The materials are manufactured domestically by U.S. companies and are IRA-qualified, ensuring they meet the standards set by the legislation.

“We are thrilled to partner with Austin Elements to advance LFP recycling for high performance cathode materials,” Wildcat President and CEO Mark Gresser says. “Customers in North America seek accessible, long-term alternatives to China-based CAM [cathode active material] production, and our partnership helps achieve that objective in a sustainable and efficient way.”

Wildcat, which has developed battery materials since 2006, plans to build a plant in the U.S. to manufacture LFP materials in late 2026, with LMFP and disordered rock salt (DRX) to follow in 2027 and 2028, respectively. The plant will have a 15,000-ton capacity that will double to 30,000 tons in 2028, and Wildcat says its partnership with Austin Elements will ensure a reliable supply of high-quality precursors for its cathode materials production.

Austin Elements specializes in producing high-specification critical minerals and LFP/LMFP battery precursors using recycled feedstocks. The company's low-carbon processes recover valuable minerals from various sources, including LFP and nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap. The company has secured feedstocks from electric vehicle (EV) original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and cell manufacturers in the U.S., Europe, North America and South America.

Austin Elements claims it is the only LFP recycler in North America and Europe capable of producing qualified battery-grade lithium carbonate and LFP precursor from “dirty” black mass—which contains high levels of aluminum and copper—with high impurity content. The company says it plans to build a 10,000 metric-ton LFP black mass refinery facility in Houston in early 2026, which it will expand to 85,000 metric tons by 2028.

“We are excited to join forces with Wildcat Discovery Technologies,” Austin Elements CEO Dr. Jacob Jim says. “Our novel patented LMFP recycling processes enable the economics of LFP recycling, and the battery-grade lithium carbonate sustainable LMFP precursors are a perfect match for Wildcat’s advanced battery research and manufacturing capabilities. Together, we will make significant strides in the circular economy for LFP series battery materials.”

Austin Elements says it is committed to supplying qualified materials to Wildcat according to mutually agreed timelines, and Wildcat says it agrees to purchase significant quantities of those materials.