Japan: Sumitomo Corp, Sumitomo Metal Mining study commercialisation prospects for battery recycling in Oceania

• Black mass processing to support Japan battery material recycling
• Project targets traceability, critical mineral security and circular supply chains

Japan Metal Daily: Sumitomo Corporation and Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to study the commercialisation of a lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling business in Oceania, aiming to establish an international battery recycling supply chain linking Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

The initiative will focus on collecting end-of-life LIBs in Australia and New Zealand, followed by pre-treatment processes such as crushing and detoxification to produce black mass — an intermediate battery raw material containing nickel, cobalt, and lithium. The black mass will then be supplied to SMM’s recycling and smelting operations in Japan for metal recovery and reuse in battery materials.

The companies plan to evaluate the feasibility of a circular “battery-to-battery” recycling model, under which recovered nickel, cobalt, and lithium will be processed at SMM’s Toyo and Nickel plants in Ehime Prefecture. The recycled materials are expected to be used in cathode production at the company’s Isoura plant. SMM’s LIB recycling facilities in Ehime are scheduled for completion in June.

For local operations, Sumitomo Corp will collaborate with EnvironmentoStream Australia and New Zealand-based Phoenix Recycling Group for battery collection and black mass production. The move comes amid increasing global focus on securing critical minerals supply chains, particularly for nickel, cobalt, and lithium, which remain heavily concentrated in select regions. Tightening battery traceability and recycled-content regulations, especially in Europe, are also accelerating investment in closed-loop recycling systems.

The project aligns with broader Japan-Australia cooperation on critical mineral supply chain resilience and is expected to strengthen raw material security for the battery sector over the long term.

Note: This article has been written in accordance with a content exchange agreement between BigMint and Japan Metal Daily.