The U.S. is rapidly scaling its battery production — but raw materials and refining capacity still lag behind. Most of the critical minerals that power lithium-ion batteries are mined and processed overseas, creating a fragile supply chain with limited visibility and control.
To keep pace with demand and reduce dependency, the U.S. needs one thing above all: a better way to recover and reuse the materials it already has.
That’s where battery recycling — and specifically black mass recovery — becomes a strategic advantage.
The Problem: A Supply Chain Built on Imports
Today, the U.S. imports the majority of its lithium, cobalt, and nickel. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, China dominates global processing capacity, especially for cathode materials and battery-grade chemicals.
This puts manufacturers in a risky position. A single disruption — trade dispute, logistics bottleneck, or geopolitical tension — can delay gigafactory output, spike prices, or halt production altogether.
The Solution: Recycled Supply, Recovered Domestically
Battery recycling offers a local, circular alternative. By recovering critical minerals from spent batteries and processing them into battery-grade inputs, the U.S. can reduce its reliance on foreign imports and extend the life of materials already in circulation.
Green Li-ion’s system plays a key role in that solution.
Our patented platform processes unsorted black mass into 99% pure pCAM — a precursor cathode active material ready for manufacturing. And because our system is modular, it can be deployed regionally, scaled quickly, and integrated directly into domestic production pipelines.
Why Speed and Scalability Matter
Building traditional refining capacity in the U.S. can take years. Permitting, capital requirements, and community buy-in all slow progress.
Modular battery recycling systems — like Green Li-ion’s — offer a faster path to resilience:
- Deployment time: under 12 months
- CapEx: significantly lower than centralized facilities
- Footprint: small enough to fit within industrial zones, logistics hubs, or gigafactory campuses
- Feedstock: accepts mixed battery chemistries with no pre-sorting required
This flexibility allows the U.S. to build localized recycling infrastructure that scales with demand — not against it.
Closing the Loop at Home
In a resilient battery supply chain, materials flow continuously:
- Batteries are manufactured
- Used batteries are collected and processed
- Black mass is refined into battery-grade material
- That material is reused in new batteries — all without leaving U.S. soil
This isn’t a future vision — it’s already happening. Green Li-ion’s technology is enabling circular systems in North America today, with more facilities planned.
Contact our team to learn how to bring this model to your operations.
Conclusion: Battery Recycling Strengthens U.S. Supply Chains
Recycling isn’t just about waste — it’s about access. By recovering battery materials and refining them at home, the U.S. can protect its clean energy momentum, reduce foreign dependence, and build a durable supply chain that can withstand shocks.
Green Li-ion is proud to support that mission with a modular platform built for speed, performance, and scalability.
Explore our technology to see how we’re powering the next phase of battery independence.
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