China Scales Up Recycling to Secure Critical Battery Minerals
· Automobile · Hindustan Times, The Economist
China is aggressively expanding its recycling industries to recover valuable metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel from scrap electric vehicle batteries. The International Energy Agency estimates that recycled black mass could account for 20% to 30% of global demand for battery metals by 2050. This push comes as Western nations tighten export restrictions on battery waste to build domestic processing capacity, with America banning exports and the EU imposing stricter rules. Historically driven by pollution concerns, China's recycling sector is now anchored in national resource security amid a global scramble for high-tech materials. The country already generates vast quantities of industrial and municipal waste, providing a large domestic foundation for its circular economy goals.
Why it matters
China's dominance in battery recycling strengthens its grip on critical mineral supply chains, insulating its domestic electric vehicle industry from mounting Western trade restrictions.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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