BASF has begun commercial operations at its new black mass facility in Schwarzheide, Germany, the company said June 3. 

The plant has the capacity to process 15,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries yearly — equivalent to roughly 40,000 electric vehicle batteries.

Black mass production is a key step in the battery recycling process. It contains high amounts of key metals used to produce cathode active materials, including lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese. 

The recycled metals are used to produce new cathode active materials, enabling circularity and reducing the carbon footprint compared to using only primary raw materials, the company said.

The new plant “will become a cornerstone” of BASF’s offerings to customers to supply battery raw materials and comply with EU battery regulations, said Daniel Schönfelder, president of BASF’s battery materials division. 

“With the new black mass plant, we strengthen our position as the preferred battery recycling partner for customers along the entire battery recycling value chain in Europe,” he said. 

BASF’s offering in Europe covers all steps along the battery recycling value chain, from collecting end-of-life batteries and production scrap, discharging and dismantling, as well as black-mass production and refining.