The British company Altilium, which plans to invest in electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the German chemical company Helm AG and its UK subsidiary LevertonHelm Ltd.
LevertonHelm is described as a producer of lithium chemicals with a global customer base. According to the memorandum, Altilium and LevertonHelm will join forces to create a sustainable domestic lithium supply chain in the UK.
"This is an important step towards supporting the UK's energy transition by accessing strategically critical mineral resources," said Stefan Berner Beltran of Altilium. "Working together on alternative recycling technologies will enable the most efficient use of domestic material recovery within cities while fostering environmentally safe and efficient processes."
Helm Energy Materials representative Merve Cruz added: "The partnership with Altilium opens new opportunities for advancing our lithium portfolio. We are committed to supporting a sustainable supply chain by recycling existing resources, which is crucial for both Europe and the UK."
As part of the MOU, LevertonHelm will focus on qualifying the technical lithium recovered by Altilium from end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap at its Devon facilities. This is expected to lead to long-term recycling agreements and establish a stable source of lithium for domestic use in the UK, reducing dependence on imported raw materials.
Altilium also announced that its new ACT2 recycling facility in Plymouth is capable of recovering lithium and other critical metals from the so-called "black mass" of batteries. The facility will not only supply cathode active materials (CAM) for automotive clients but also produce significant volumes of recycled lithium for the UK market.
Beyond meeting the UK’s domestic needs, the collaboration will help European battery manufacturers comply with new EU environmental regulations. According to these regulations, starting in 2031, EV batteries in the European Union must contain at least 6% recycled lithium, and this share will rise to 12% by 2036.