Battery metals recycling and refining firm Aqua Metals has signed a three-year material supply agreement with US-based cathode active materials (CAM) battery metals producer 6K Energy.
The agreement establishes a commercial framework for the future supply of battery-grade nickel metal and lithium carbonate produced using the AquaRefining process. AquaRefining operates without hydrogen peroxide or sodium hydroxide, regenerates sulfuric acid for reuse and produces zero sodium sulfate waste, creating a closed-loop system.
Aqua Metals and 6K Energy will align on product specifications, qualification pathways and index-based pricing mechanisms to support the use of recycled and refined battery materials in domestic cathode manufacturing.
Under the deal, 6K will have the option to purchase battery-grade nickel metal and lithium carbonate at prices based on London Metal Exchange trading prices at the time. The material volumes could represent tens of millions of dollars in annual battery-materials value, subject to qualification, market conditions, and scale-up.
The agreement is based on 6K completing its proposed battery material production facility and Aqua Metals completing an expanded recycling facility.
Materials supplied under the agreement are expected to meet Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) compliance requirements, supporting broader efforts to build secure, resilient and transparent domestic battery materials infrastructure.
The agreement also provides optionality for future collaboration, including the potential evaluation of tolling arrangements for lithium-ion battery black mass. This flexibility reinforces Aqua’s strategy to develop a feedstock-agnostic refining platform capable of supporting multiple battery chemistries, including nickel-based and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) systems, as the market continues to evolve.
“A reliable supply of high-purity, compliant battery materials is essential to scaling cathode manufacturing in the United States,” said Saurabh Ullal, President of 6K Energy. “This agreement with Aqua Metals creates a framework to evaluate and integrate recycled and refined nickel and lithium materials that meet our technical requirements while supporting our domestic sourcing objectives.”
Source: Aqua Metals
