Aqua Metals to Lead On-site Facility Tour During NAATBatt Lithium Battery Recycling Workshop VIII
In a groundbreaking move, Aqua Metals will host a guided tour of its Innovation Center during the NAATBatt Annual Workshop, taking place at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada on July 31, 2025. The tour offers workshop participants a rare, behind-the-scenes look at one of North America's most advanced lithium battery recycling operations.
The Innovation Center, operated by Aqua Metals, has been successful for over two and a half years and produces battery-grade lithium carbonate, nickel, and cobalt products at commercial pilot scale. The tour will highlight Aqua Metals' commitment to scalable, safe, and sustainable recycling solutions for securing the future of energy storage and supply chain resilience in North America.
During the tour, attendees will witness live presentations comparing traditional hydro recycling with AquaRefining™, Aqua Metals' proprietary technology. The comparison will underscore significant reductions in waste streams, worker safety risks, and improved economic efficiencies that AquaRefining™ offers.
AquaRefining™ is a game-changer in the lithium battery recycling industry, offering several key features and benefits. It is a sustainable, closed-loop lithium-ion battery recycling process that enables production of battery-grade lithium carbonate, nickel, and cobalt from recycled batteries, creating a true closed-loop system that recovers critical minerals domestically.
The technology is also non-polluting and environmentally superior, making it a cleaner, more environmentally friendly process compared to traditional hydro-based recycling methods used in Asia. Additionally, AquaRefining™ is capital and cost-efficient, requiring less capital investment compared to conventional hydrometallurgical processes, improving economic viability for large-scale recycling.
Moreover, AquaRefining™ provides a safer alternative in handling hazardous materials during recycling, reducing risks associated with traditional methods. The facility, located in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center, has been operating successfully for over two and a half years and has accumulated over 4,000 hours of operational runtime.
The tour will also include displays of products produced at the facility, emphasizing Aqua Metals' belief in its output of recycled lithium carbonate being among the highest produced from a true closed-loop battery recycling process in North America. Steve Cotton, President and CEO of Aqua Metals, will be present during the tour.
The NAATBatt Workshop is a platform for exploring the latest innovations in the battery value chain, with industry leaders from across the sector in attendance. The Eighth Annual Workshop on Lithium Battery Recycling and Lifecycle Management will delve into discussions on lithium battery reuse, recycling, regulatory frameworks, and market development.
For more information about attending the workshop, visit the conference website at https://events.naatbatt.org/. Aqua Metals' clean recycling technology supports the reshoring of critical minerals processing-an industry historically outsourced overseas-fueling American job growth and economic resilience.
- Aqua Metals' Innovation Center, which produces battery-grade lithium carbonate, nickel, and cobalt at commercial pilot scale, employs the sustainable and scalable AquaRefining™ technology – a closed-loop, environmentally superior lithium-ion battery recycling process that sets a new standard in the industry.
- In addition to showcasing Aqua Metals' commitment to safe and sustainable recycling solutions, the guided tour of the Innovation Center will demonstrate the advantages of AquaRefining™ over traditional hydro recycling methods, including significant waste stream reductions, improved worker safety, and cost efficiencies for large-scale recycling operations.
