Govt Project to Commercialise Indigenous Hydrometallurgical Process for Extracting Battery-Grade Lithium, Cobalt, and Nickel in India
In a significant move towards strengthening India’s clean energy supply chain, the Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science and Technology has extended financial support to BatX Energies Pvt Ltd, a Gurugram-based battery recycling firm. This funding will help BatX scale up its pioneering recycling project, capable of recovering up to 99% of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese from used lithium-ion batteries.
Commercialising Indigenous Recycling Technology
The project, titled “Technologies for generation of battery-grade materials and value addition through closed loop”, focuses on the commercialisation of a homegrown hydrometallurgical process to extract high-purity battery-grade materials.
BatX Energies has developed a proprietary low-temperature, low-pressure recycling technology, adaptable to all lithium-ion battery chemistries. Its dual-mode (wet and dry) black mass recovery system achieves metal recovery rates between 97% and 99%.
The entire process — from battery collection, shredding, metal leaching to downstream purification — is indigenously developed and patented. BatX has filed seven patents, of which two have already been granted.
Strengthening India’s Clean Energy Ecosystem
TDB Secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak emphasised:
“The shift toward electric mobility and renewable energy must be matched by equally robust recycling infrastructure. Supporting indigenous technologies like BatX Energies strengthens our clean energy supply chain, enhances strategic mineral independence, and positions India to lead in sustainable industrial innovation.”
According to BatX, the recovered materials — including lithium carbonate and cobalt sulphate — meet international standards and will serve both domestic and export markets.
Scaling for Aatmanirbhar Bharat Goals
BatX Energies Co-Founder & CEO Utkarsh Singh called the TDB support a game-changer, adding:
“This validates our green technology commitment and allows us to scale an indigenous battery recycling solution. We aim to reduce India’s critical mineral imports while setting global clean-tech benchmarks.”
The funding will help BatX expand from a pilot unit to full-scale commercial production, reduce dependence on imported recycling equipment, and minimise critical mineral imports.The project directly supports national objectives under Aatmanirbhar Bharat, circular economy goals, and strategies to reduce reliance on imported raw materials for energy storage.
