The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic material supply and technology integration partnership.
The agreement will see the companies collaborate on the purchase and refining of graphite materials, alongside the treatment of lithium-bearing process water streams generated through cylib’s battery recycling technology.
Under the MoU, Watercycle intends to evaluate the purchase of graphite material from cylib’s Aachen demonstration facility from 2026, with the potential for volumes to increase from pilot-scale quantities to larger commercial volumes sourced from cylib’s first commercial recycling plant.
The companies will also explore longer-term expansion opportunities as additional recycling capacity comes online.
Dr Sebastian Leaper, Co-Founder of Watercycle Technologies, said: “We are pleased to announce our partnership with cylib as we explore opportunities for strategic collaboration in the battery recycling sector.
“By combining cylib’s advanced recycling capabilities with our modular mineral recovery technology, we can create a compelling circular model for recovering valuable minerals from end-of-life batteries.
“This partnership reflects our shared ambition to build resilient, sustainable and economically viable supply chains for critical battery materials in Europe.”
Recovering from battery recycling streams
A central element of the collaboration is the treatment and upgrading of lithium-bearing process water produced during battery recycling.
By applying Watercycle’s modular Direct Lithium Extraction and Crystallisation technology, the partners aim to improve lithium recovery rates while also generating clean water as a co-product.
The companies said the partnership is designed to maximise value recovery from end-of-life batteries and support the development of a more resilient European circular battery supply chain.
Dr Gideon Schwich, Co-CEO and Co-Founder at cylib GmbH, added: “Integrating innovative mineral recovery technologies with battery recycling is key to maximising resource efficiency.
“Our collaboration with Watercycle enables us to explore new ways to recover and refine graphite and lithium-bearing streams, supporting the development of a more circular and competitive European battery ecosystem.”
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