Minimines Secures Patent For Technology To Recover Critical Minerals From E-Waste

MiniMines Cleantech Solutions on Wednesday said it has secured a patent for its proprietary Hybrid Hydrometallurgy technology that enables recovery of critical minerals from energy storage devices and electronic waste, including lithium-ion batteries, irrespective of their chemical composition, size or shape.

The patented hybrid hydrometallurgy technology integrates multiple recovery techniques into a unified hydrometallurgical process, enabling the efficient extraction of valuable critical minerals from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.

The process enables the recovery of high-purity materials, including lithium, cobalt, manganese, aluminium, copper and nickel, as well as spherical graphite with up to 99% purity, while maintaining a low environmental footprint.

In a statement, the company said it "has been granted a patent by the Indian Patent Office for its proprietary Hybrid Hydrometallurgy (HHMR) technology. The patented process enables the efficient recovery of critical minerals from energy storage devices and electronic waste, including end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, irrespective of their chemical composition, size or shape”.

Designed and developed in India, the technology addresses a growing need for sustainable and resource-efficient battery recycling solutions as the adoption of electric vehicles and energy storage systems accelerates globally.

The patented process has already been successfully deployed and validated at MiniMines’ commercial facility, where it forms the foundation of the company’s lithium-ion battery recycling operations, the Bengaluru-based clean technology startup said.

“As India’s demand for critical minerals continues to grow, technologies like HHMR will play an important role in strengthening resource security and accelerating the transition towards a circular economy,” MiniMines Cleantech Solutions Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Arvind Bhardwaj said.