Blue Whale Materials has begun commissioning its baseline black mass production facility in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, marking a key advancement in U.S. battery recycling capacity. Once fully operational, the plant will process up to 14,000 tonnes of battery manufacturing scrap each year to produce Blacksand™—a proprietary, high-purity mixed-metal precursor containing cobalt, nickel and lithium with minimal impurities.
The Bartlesville site received more than $55 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to support a four-year expansion project. Upon completion of that expansion, the facility’s processing capacity is expected to grow to 50,000 tonnes per year. Construction of Blue Whale Materials’ full recycling system, which will enable end-to-end processing of spent cells, modules and packs, remains on track to be operational in the first quarter of 2026.
“Commissioning this baseline black mass plant demonstrates our technological leadership in recovering vital battery-grade metals,” said Robert Kang, co-founder and CEO of Blue Whale Materials. “It also paves the way for our upcoming full recycling system, which will further strengthen domestic battery supply chains and bring sustainable high-quality jobs to communities like Bartlesville.”
In addition to producing Blacksand™, the company offers comprehensive collection, logistics and sorting services for end-of-life batteries. The Bartlesville facility also conducts testing and grading of spent cells to support remanufacturing and second-life applications.
“Producing our high-quality Blacksand™ here in the U.S. is a huge step for Blue Whale Materials to secure critical minerals for the domestic supply chain and to offer complete battery life-cycle solutions for our customers,” added David Fauvre, co-founder and chief strategy officer.
Ara Partners, an investment backer of Blue Whale Materials, underscored the broader impact of the milestone. “Commissioning the baseline black mass line underscores BWM’s ability to deliver practical, scalable solutions for domestic critical mineral recovery,” said Cory Steffek, partner at Ara Partners. “Combined with the upcoming full-stack recycling capability, this progress strengthens the resilience and sustainability of U.S. supply chains.”
Source: Business Wire
