Rocklink India has set up an integrated recycling facility for lithium-ion batteries and rare earth magnets at UPSIDC Industrial Area in Secunderabad, Uttar Pradesh, the first such operation in the country. The plant is designed to process lithium-ion batteries, rare-earth magnets and metal-bearing industrial waste, strengthen domestic recovery of critical materials and support efforts to develop circular supply chains. The facility has an initial lithium-ion battery recycling capacity of 10,000 tonnes per year, as well as a rare earth magnet processing operation of 60 tonnes per month.The company is also set to commission a rare-earth chloride processing unit with a capacity of 1,500 tonnes per annum in the first quarter of 2026, with the aim of expanding its capabilities in rare-earth material recovery. According to Leonard Alexander Ansorge, Director, Rocklink India Pvt. Ltd. Ltd., this facility aims to support the development of recycling infrastructure for critical materials used in electric mobility, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.
The plant is registered under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) norms and is equipped to handle 95 types of battery scrap including pre- and post-consumer material. It uses the company’s in-house developed recycling process, called R2, which converts battery waste into reusable components while managing hazardous emissions. The company says the process is designed to handle a variety of battery formats and chemistries, including systems to capture volatile organic compounds through controlled processing and waste gas treatment. The facility achieves recovery rates of over 98 percent for metals such as aluminium, copper and iron, while producing black mass for further refining.Apart from recycling, Rocklink India plans to undertake battery refurbishing operations at the site. This will allow usable cells to be tested, balanced and reused, extending battery life cycles and improving resource efficiency. The facility also includes dedicated infrastructure for rare earth magnet recycling, including materials such as NdFeB, SmCo and AlNiCo, which are commonly used in motor and industrial applications. Semi-automatic systems will dismantle magnet-containing assemblies to improve material traceability and processing efficiency.Rocklink India is also expanding its Magcycle reverse logistics model in India, which was previously deployed in Europe. The system is designed to streamline the collection and movement of magnet scrap into appropriate recycling channels. The company is taking a “know your stuff” approach supported by in-house testing and grading systems to determine the optimal recycling route. Materials unsuitable for direct recycling will be processed into rare earth chlorides using a rotary kiln-based system at the facility. Rocklink India said it will work with technology firms, research institutes and government agencies to improve recycling processes and strengthen domestic supply chains for critical raw materials.
(TagstoTranslate)Lithium-ion battery recycling(T)Circular supply chain(T)Battery refurbishing operations(T)RockLink India(T)Extended producer responsibility(T)Critical material recovery(T)Electric mobility materials(T)Rare earth magnets(T)Sustainable battery solutions(T)Rare earth recycling facility
