Ascend Elements to Increase U.S. Lithium Carbonate Production by 60% with New Facility

Expansion of Domestic Lithium Carbonate Production
Ascend Elements, a prominent lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycler, is set to boost U.S. lithium carbonate production by 60% with its new facility in Covington, Georgia. Starting in 2025, the company aims to produce up to 3,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate annually, with a purity of about 99%. This new domestic source of lithium carbonate is expected to be a significant contribution to meeting the growing demand for battery materials, particularly in the electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage industries. This move will also help reduce the U.S.’s reliance on imported lithium, a critical component in battery production.

First Commercial-Scale Recycled Lithium Carbonate Production in the U.S.
Ascend’s new facility will be the first in the U.S. to produce recycled lithium carbonate at a commercial scale. Currently, the only domestic source of lithium carbonate comes from mining operations in Nevada. With the rise in EV production and energy storage solutions, the need for lithium is intensifying. Ascend’s facility will play a key role in helping U.S. industries meet the growing demand for these critical materials. Eric Gratz, co-founder and CTO of Ascend, emphasized that this new supply of lithium carbonate is vital for supporting the U.S. economy and reducing potential trade risks, such as tariffs on imported materials.

Environmental Benefits of Ascend’s Recycling Process
In addition to meeting demand, Ascend’s lithium extraction process from used LIBs offers substantial environmental benefits. The company claims that its process emits just 2.27 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of lithium carbonate produced. This is in stark contrast to traditional methods like spodumene mining, which generates approximately 16.7 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of lithium carbonate. Ascend’s recycling process is about 86% less carbon-intensive than spodumene mining and 37% less than Chilean brine extraction. These figures highlight Ascend’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of lithium production while supporting the transition to clean energy.

Overview of the Covington Facility and Future Outlook
The Covington facility, which started operations in 2022, is designed to recycle up to 30,000 metric tons of LIB materials annually, equivalent to about 70,000 EV battery packs. With a planned production capacity of 3,000 metric tons of recycled lithium carbonate per year, Ascend’s Covington plant will become a crucial part of the U.S. battery supply chain, helping to meet the increasing demand for lithium used in EVs and other battery-powered technologies.

Ascend’s expansion also contributes to the broader goal of creating a circular economy for critical battery materials. By recovering valuable resources from used batteries, the company is helping to reduce the need for mining and other environmentally harmful extraction processes. This sustainable approach positions Ascend as a key player in the U.S. energy transition and the future of clean, renewable energy.