Altilium, a UK-based clean technology group dedicated to supporting the transition to net-zero emissions, has announced a new partnership with HELM AG’s UK subsidiary, LevertonHELM Ltd. The collaboration aims to develop a sustainable domestic supply chain for lithium in the United Kingdom, reducing reliance on imported raw materials and advancing the nation’s green economy.
Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MOU), LevertonHELM will initially qualify technical grade lithium carbonate recovered from end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries and production scrap at Altilium’s recycling facilities in Devon. This initiative is expected to lead to offtake and tolling agreements for the supply of recycled lithium within the UK, addressing the growing demand for sustainable and locally sourced battery materials.
Lithium is a critical component in EV batteries, and its demand is projected to increase significantly as EV adoption accelerates. Currently, the UK depends heavily on the global market for lithium, with China responsible for refining 60–70% of the lithium used in EV batteries. The partnership between Altilium and LevertonHELM seeks to mitigate this dependency by establishing a robust domestic supply chain.
Altilium’s recently opened ACT2 recycling facility in Plymouth has the capacity to recover lithium and other battery metals from 300 kilograms of black mass waste—the equivalent of one EV battery—per day using its proprietary EcoCathode™ process. In addition to producing cathode active materials (CAM) for qualification with automotive customers, the facility will generate substantial volumes of lithium available for reintegration into the British supply chain.
The recycling process employed by Altilium not only strengthens the domestic supply chain but also reduces the carbon footprint of lithium production. This aligns with upcoming European Union battery regulations requiring new EV batteries to contain at least 6% recycled lithium by August 2031, increasing to 12% by 2036. By facilitating compliance with these regulations, the partnership supports both environmental sustainability and industry standards.
LevertonHELM, headquartered in Basingstoke, is a leading producer of high-quality lithium chemicals with a global customer base across various industrial applications. The two companies will also explore the joint development of alternative lithium processing techniques to maximize the value derived from domestic resources.
“This is a great opportunity to support the UK’s efforts to secure such an important mineral for the energy transition,” said Stefan Berner Beltrán, Principal Engineer and Lithium Raw Materials Lead at Altilium. “By working together on alternative technologies, we can unlock the most value from domestic urban mining, aiming for greener and more efficient refining processes.”
Merve Cruz, Director of Partnerships and Strategic Sourcing at HELM Energy Materials, added, “Partnering with Altilium is a promising step forward in developing the HELM lithium portfolio. The planned alliance underlines our focus on specialized solutions and the much-needed approach of recycling existing resources to support a sustainable supply chain for lithium, especially in Europe and the UK.”
Source: Altilium
