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Spotted: Opting for eco-friendly transportation isn’t always straightforward. Electric vehicles (EVs) are typically pricier upfront than traditional cars. Although exact percentages vary based on model and exact battery chemistry, a significant proportion of that cost comes from the battery. In a move toward making EVs more affordable, MiniMines, a clean tech startup from Bengaluru, India, has pioneered an environmentally conscious method for recycling lithium-ion batteries. 

The startup’s proprietary hybrid-hydrometallurgy method extracts spent lithium-ion batteries and battery manufacturing scrap, creating new cells in line with circular economy principles. MiniMines boasts a material recovery rate of over 96 per cent, extracting elements such as lithium and valuable metals in their pure elemental forms. Remarkably, this process generates zero wastewater, residue, or carbon dioxide waste or emissions.

The company estimates that by 2030, there will be 11 million metric tonnes of spent Li-ion batteries, and demand for these cells is only set to increase. With its innovative circular model, MiniMines will be able to transform battery waste into a valuable resource, providing repurposed raw materials to battery producers and helping companies fulfill their battery Extended Producer Responsibility. 

Springwise has recently spotted other innovations pushing EV batteries to be a part of a circular economy, from a startup providing a clean extraction technology for lithium-ion batteries to a greener method of recycling lithium.

Written By: Georgia King