Ascend Elements (Westborough, Mass.; www.ascendelements.com) leader in sustainable engineered battery materials and lithium‑ion recycling, today announces a multi‑year off-take agreement for lithium carbonate with Trafigura Group Pte. Ltd. (Singapore; www.trafigura.com) a market leader in the global commodities industry. The agreement totals 15,000 metric tons (15 kilotons) to be delivered between 2027 and 2031.
Under the terms of the agreement, Trafigura will provide global marketing and logistics capabilities, while Ascend Elements produces refined, low-carbon lithium carbonate produced from recycled lithium‑ion batteries and manufacturing scrap via its patented Hydro-to-Cathode® process. The partnership supports Ascend Elements’ North American and European pipeline. Trafigura expands its portfolio of reliable, recycled materials it can place across its global customer base, supporting OEMs to meet circularity and compliance goals.
“Trafigura’s global platform paired with our Hydro-to-Cathode® process turns circularity into supply security,” said Linh Austin, President and CEO of Ascend Elements. “Together we’ll deliver low-carbon, recycled lithium carbonate that is traceable, responsibly-sourced, and available where customers build across the U.S. and Europe, reducing carbon, cost, and geopolitical risk while accelerating a resilient battery supply chain.”
As a market leader in the global commodities industry, Trafigura provides extensive market reach, logistics, and storage infrastructure to enable global distribution of Ascend Elements’ lithium carbonate.
Gonzalo De Olazaval, Global Head of Metals and Minerals at Trafigura, commented on the partnership: “We are pleased to be partnering with Ascend Elements and supporting the circular economy. Ascend Elements’ patented process, which produces battery-grade lithium carbonate from domestic scrap, is advancing the development of domestic battery supply chains in the US and Europe – a priority to ensure security of supply.”
Ascend Elements is a U.S.‑based leader in sustainable engineered battery materials. With its patented Hydro‑to‑Cathode® process, the company transforms spent lithium‑ion batteries and manufacturing scrap into high‑performance precursor cathode active material (pCAM) and battery‑grade lithium salts at commercial scale.
Trafigura is a leading commodities group, owned by its employees and founded over 30 years ago.