Business
Aqua Metals Expands Vision for Commercial Giga-Scale Lithium Battery Recycling – More than Doubling the Output of Battery Grade Lithium at Sierra ARC Phase 1
Company positions itself for a multi-gigawatt-hour scale facility designed to produce higher margins and targeting a ~3 year payback, while enabling faster
About this update from Aqua Metals, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Company positions itself for a multi-gigawatt-hour scale facility designed to produce higher margins and targeting a ~3 year payback, while enabling faster commercialization of battery-grade materials\nRENO, Nev., Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aqua Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AQMS), a pioneer in sustainable lithium battery recycling, today announced an accelerated pathway intended to increase revenue and margin at its planned commercial-scale AquaRefining™ facility at the Tahoe-Reno industrial center. To streamline market entry, optimize capital efficiency, scale core patented and licensable technology, and meet evolving customer demands, the Company intends to prioritize the production of battery grade lithium carbonate, more than doubling the initial production targets. Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP), a widely traded, high-value nickel and cobalt product, along with copper and manganese, will make up the rest of its product suite at its Sierra ARC recycling campus. This near-term focus should enable faster and larger revenue generation, additional technology validation at scale, and expanded industry partnership potential while maintaining a clear roadmap for scaling toward high-purity metal refining that will eventually complement the lithium carbonate production. Aqua Metals’ Strategy for Scaling a Low-Cost, Decarbonized Critical Minerals Supply Chain, while Creating Highly Desirable Jobs Aqua Metals has already proven its ability to recover battery grade lithium as well as high purity nickel and cobalt from spent batteries and manufacturing scrap at its pilot facility. By prioritizing lithium carbonate and MHP production, the Company believes it can accelerate commercialization, reduce remaining capital requirements to complete the Sierra ARC, and position itself as a key supplier of domestic, low-carbon, battery-grade materials. The scalable nature of AquaRefining™ is the basis upon which Aqua Metals believes that full metal refining remains within reach as part of future scaling. The Company will continue qualifying battery-grade materials with its pilot program and through ongoing engagements with OEMs, cell, and CAM manufacturers. “We are taking a smart, market-driven approach that we believe will allow us to scale faster, generate revenue sooner, and strengthen our position in the domestic critical minerals supply cha...