Japan Finds a Way to Recover 90% of Lithium From Old EV Batteries

Why It Matters

Higher lithium recovery reduces Japan’s dependence on imported raw materials and cuts emissions, strengthening the country’s EV supply chain and circular‑economy goals.

Key Takeaways

• JX Metals recovers 90% lithium from spent EV batteries.
• New hydrometallurgy replaces lithium hydroxide, cutting carbon emissions 40%.
• Process doubles previous recovery rates, meeting Japan’s 70% 2030 target.
• Only 14% of Japan’s end‑of‑life batteries are officially collected.
• Collection bottleneck limits recycling impact despite technological breakthrough.

Pulse Analysis

Japan’s reliance on imported lithium has long been a strategic vulnerability for its burgeoning electric‑vehicle market. With the country importing virtually all of the lithium, cobalt and nickel needed for battery production, policymakers introduced a 2024 law that obliges manufacturers and importers to collect and recycle small portable batteries and to achieve a 70% lithium recovery rate by 2030. This regulatory push creates a clear incentive for domestic recyclers to scale up, positioning Japan to develop a more self‑sufficient battery supply chain while also meeting its climate commitments.

The breakthrough announced by JX Metals Circular Solutions centers on a refined hydrometallurgical process. After batteries are shredded and the resulting black‑mass is treated with a water‑based solution, the recovered lithium hydroxide is fed back into the refining loop, eliminating the need for a virgin chemical reagent. This substitution trims the process’s carbon emissions by roughly 40% and pushes lithium recovery to 90%, a figure that rivals the 95% recovery claimed by U.S. firm Redwood Materials. By doubling previous Japanese recovery rates, the technology not only improves material yields but also lowers the environmental cost of producing new battery-grade lithium.

Despite the technical advance, Japan’s recycling ecosystem faces a more pressing obstacle: collection. Only about 14% of end‑of‑life lithium‑ion batteries are captured through official channels, with many used EV packs being exported or discarded informally. Without a robust logistics network to funnel spent batteries to facilities like Tsuruga, the high‑efficiency process cannot reach its full potential. Industry analysts therefore stress that policy measures, consumer awareness campaigns, and incentives for collection will be as vital as the chemistry itself in unlocking a truly circular battery economy for Japan.