Graphite One and Lab 4 partner for Li-ion battery recycling plant in Washington State

Canada-based anode material producing company, Graphite One Inc. (Graphite One) on Monday announced that it has entered a non-binding MoU with battery material recycler Lab 4 Inc. (Lab 4) to design and build a lithium-ion battery recycling plant in the State of Washington.

The recycling facility would be located adjacent to Graphite One's planned advanced materials manufacturing plant in Washington, and it will bring Graphite One and Lab 4  together to collaborate and work on the design, development, and construction of a recycling facility for end-of-life electric vehicle and lithium-ion batteries.

"With this new proposed recycling division joining our Graphite Creek mine and Advanced Graphite Materials Manufacturing Plant as the third link, Graphite One plans to bring the full circular economy to the U.S. graphite supply chain," said Anthony Huston, President, and CEO of Graphite One. 

"When you're in the renewable energy space, you've got to think through the whole lifecycle – where will EV and lithium-ion batteries go when they are no longer useful? It can't be to the landfill. That's not responsible. Battery materials are simply too critical and too scarce to let them go to waste." 

Graphite One's Graphite Creek resource in Alaska has been cited as the largest known graphite deposit in the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) earlier in March, in its updated U.S. Mineral Deposit Database (USMIN).

Last month (March 14), in a major step towards achieving a 100% U.S.- based advanced graphite supply chain, Graphite One announced that it had chosen Washington State as a location for the company's advanced materials processing plant, which will bring battery anode production to the United States.

Graphite One in its official release stated that it is looking to develop a complete U.S.-based, advanced graphite supply chain solution anchored by the Graphite Creek resource near Nome, Alaska.

Commenting on the latest partnership, Dr. Ian Flint, CEO of Lab 4 stated, "Lab 4 Inc. is excited to have this opportunity to work with Graphite One to develop state-of-the-art battery recycling capability. The return of battery materials within the industry, or to new uses and applications, is critical to the materials supply chain as the electrification of everything accelerates."

"Adding recycling to renewable materials development is the missing piece in a true circular economy. We look forward to a partnership that sets a new standard for the renewable energy sector," Flint added.

The two entities will enter a definitive agreement within 180 days from signing the MoU to set out the proposed terms of collaboration to design, develop, and build a recycling facility for end-of-life EV and lithium-ion batteries subject to meeting conditions.