Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Technology

We use a combination of mechanical and hydrometallurgical technologies to recycle the battery materials. Our industrial-scale, low-CO2 processes allow us to recover lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel from the battery for reuse in the production of new batteries. Our optimised battery treatment processes are safe, sustainable, and efficient.

Our efficient and low-CO2 battery recycling processes combine mechanical and hydrometallurgical recycling technologies. The technology was developed by Fortum, and the battery treatment processes have been optimised for high safety, sustainability, and a high recovery rate.

Mechanical processing

The lithium-ion batteries are first disassembled and treated during a mechanical process at Fortum’s plant in Ikaalinen, Finland. The mechanical processing enables us to recover plastics, aluminium, copper, and black mass. The battery’s black mass, containing critical metals, is collected and then taken for hydrometallurgical processing at Fortum's plant in Harjavalta, Finland. Other recovered materials are recycled in separate processes.

Hydrometallurgical processing

The hydrometallurgical recycling process involves a chemical precipitation methodology that allows scarce minerals to be recovered from the black mass and delivered to battery manufacturers for reuse in the production of new batteries. We are continuously looking into different ways and processes to extract a higher yield and higher purity from the battery materials.

80%
of a battery can be recycled with the combination of our mechanical and hydrometallurgical recycling processes.

95%
of the valuable metals from the battery's black mass can be recovered with our cutting-edge hydrometallurgical recycling process.

Our low CO2 battery recycling process

Harjavalta battery material recycling facility

Hydrometallurgical recycling facility

We have a new, state-of-the-art hydrometallurgical plant in Harjavalta, Finland. The new plant enables us to expand our recycling capacity of lithium-ion batteries and the production of sustainable battery chemicals. The new Harjavalta facility helps to meet the rising demand for recycled battery materials and enables the sustainable recovery of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, all of which are essential in the manufacturing of new EV batteries.

Fortum Battery Recycling

We are revolutionising the lithium-ion battery value chain for electric vehicle and industrial use batteries. We recycle lithium-ion batteries and battery production side streams and residues to keep the critical raw materials in circulation.