Ascend Elements and Trafigura form a long-term partnership to supply low-carbon, recycled lithium carbonate supporting circular, resilient U.S. and European battery supply chains.
Ascend Elements, a prominent innovator in sustainable engineered battery materials and advanced lithium-ion recycling, has announced a significant multi-year offtake agreement with Trafigura, a well-established global commodities trading and logistics company. This long-term partnership involves the supply of battery-grade, low-carbon lithium carbonate produced entirely from recycled lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap. Between 2027 and 2031, Ascend Elements will deliver a total of 15,000 metric tons of this critical battery material, marking a major step forward in strengthening sustainable and circular energy storage supply chains.
As part of the agreement, Ascend Elements will supply lithium carbonate refined through its proprietary Hydro-to-Cathode® technology. This advanced process allows the company to extract, refine, and upgrade valuable materials from spent batteries and production scrap, resulting in high-purity lithium carbonate with a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to conventional methods. The technology plays a pivotal role in building a circular battery ecosystem by turning waste into high-value, battery-ready materials while reducing dependency on traditional mining.
Trafigura, known for its extensive global reach and expertise in commodity trading, marketing, and logistics, will manage the worldwide distribution of the recycled lithium carbonate. With its established infrastructure for storage, transportation, and market access, Trafigura is positioned to ensure efficient delivery of the product to customers across North America, Europe, and beyond. This collaboration enhances Trafigura’s growing portfolio of responsibly sourced and recycled materials, strengthening its ability to support customers—especially automotive OEMs—in meeting increasing sustainability, circularity, and regulatory requirements.
Linh Austin, President and CEO of Ascend Elements, highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership, emphasizing how the combination of Trafigura’s global platform and Ascend Elements’ advanced recycling technology reinforces supply security. He noted that the partnership will deliver low-carbon, traceable, and responsibly sourced lithium carbonate directly to regions where battery manufacturing is taking place, especially across the U.S. and Europe. According to Austin, this enables manufacturers to reduce carbon emissions, lower material costs, and mitigate geopolitical risks while contributing to a more resilient, regionally anchored battery supply chain.
Trafigura echoed this sentiment, with Gonzalo De Olazaval, Global Head of Metals and Minerals, expressing enthusiasm for the collaboration. He stated that partnering with Ascend Elements aligns with Trafigura’s commitment to advancing circular solutions within the commodities sector. He emphasized that Ascend’s patented process supports the development of domestic and regional battery supply chains in key markets such as the U.S. and Europe—an essential step toward ensuring long-term security of supply for critical materials like lithium.
Overall, the agreement represents a meaningful advancement in both companies’ efforts to promote sustainable material sourcing, develop circular battery ecosystems, and support the rapid expansion of the global energy storage market.
