Watercycle Technologies and EWaste Africa forge strategic partnership to advance sustainable Lithium recovery from E-waste
(29 April 2024, Manchester UK) - Watercycle Technologies (WT), a UK-based climate tech company specialising in critical minerals recovery and EWaste Africa (EWA), a leading electronic and lighting waste management company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This strategic partnership aims to advance the sustainable recovery of valuable materials, such as lithium, from spent lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
The MoU entails the collaborative testing and deployment of Watercycle Technologies' cutting-edge and patented technologies, DLEC™ for recovering lithium from LFP batteries. The partnership between WT and EWA marks a significant step towards enhancing sustainable waste management practices in Southern Africa. With EWA's expertise in e-waste management and Watercycle Technologies' innovative mineral recovery solutions, the collaboration aims to establish a state-of-the-art plant capable of processing ton-level quantities of end-of-life LFP batteries.
Watercycle’s co-founder and CTO, Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim said: “We are delighted to be working with EWaste Africa in producing battery grade lithium carbonate from spent LFP batteries and help build a circular battery supply chain on the African continent. LFP chemistries are growing rapidly in Africa due to their lower cost than cobalt rich NMC chemistries and so require novel technologies to be viably recycled. We are delighted to be bringing our expertise in mineral recovery to this partnership and build a ton-scale battery recycling system at EWaste Africa’s facility.”
Dr Mark Williams-Wynn, R&D Lead at EWaste Africa said: "We are excited to partner with Watercycle Technologies to bring cutting-edge mineral recovery solutions to the region. This partnership aligns with our commitment to sustainable waste management and will significantly contribute to the circular economy by extracting valuable materials from end-of-life LFP batteries."
The plant developed as part of this partnership will not only showcase Watercycle Technologies' advanced recovery processes but also serve as a model for responsible resource utilization and environmental stewardship in the Southern African region and beyond.
ENDS
Watercycle Technologies - www.watercycletechnologies.com
Watercycle Technologies is a UK-based climate tech company pioneering sustainable and circular critical mineral recovery essential for a NetZero future, creating clean drinkable water in the process. It is initially focused on two areas critical to lithium production and creating a circular economy for the global energy transition, Direct Lithium Extraction and Crystallisation (DLEC™) and the recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries and black mass (shredded batteries), working alongside major lithium producers globally. Watercycle Technologies’ scalable, modular technology delivers dramatic reductions in costs and has a reduced environmental impact than other processes available. It’s patented advanced membranes and filtration systems can also be applied to the extraction of other critical minerals and metals from all types of water, including wastewater.
For media enquiries about Watercycle Technologies please contact Heloise Grandjouan at heloise.grandjouan@watercycletechnologies.com
About EWaste Africa - ewasteafrica.net
EWaste Africa (EWA) is a South African electronic and lighting waste management company offering holistic e-waste solutions, including collection, storage, and beneficiation services. EWA serves clients across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Dr Mark Williams-Wynn
EWaste Africa
102 Shortts Retreat Rd, Mkondeni, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa
+27 65 951 4836