Battery materials firm Ascend Elements plans to invest $310 million in Phase 1 — and up to $1 billion over several possible phases — to build a sustainable lithium-ion battery materials facility in the US.
The facility in Kentucky will be known as “Apex 1”, and use the US firm’s Hydro-to-Cathode™ direct precursor synthesis process technology to recycle black mass into lithium-ion battery precursor and cathode active material.
The plant is expected to produce enough material for 250,000 electric vehicles per year.
Groundbreaking on the facility is expected in Q4.
Apex 1 will feature onsite chemical recycling capabilities and a wastewater treatment plant.