Japan's first recycling plant for recovering rare metals from used EV batteries has been completed in the Toyo region of Ehime Prefecture. Sumitomo Metal Mining established the plant in Saijo and Niihama, with the aim of recycling approximately 10,000 tonnes annually by fiscal 2028.
A new facility for recycling used electric-vehicle batteries has been completed in the Toyo region of Ehime Prefecture. Sumitomo Metal Mining is the project operator and is developing a battery recycling plant in Saijo and Niihama.
The plant is expected to extract rare metals, including nickel, cobalt and copper, from used lithium-ion batteries. It is positioned as the full-scale operation of Japan's first recycling facility of its kind.
The company has announced plans to recycle approximately 10,000 tonnes of used batteries annually by fiscal 2028. Volumes are expected to increase as electric vehicles become more widespread, and the company intends to promote resource circulation in Japan.
The initiative is intended to promote the domestic circulation of rare metals through recycling that keeps the process within Japan.