Aqua Metals, Inc. and 6K Energy announced plans to create the first truly sustainable circular supply chain in the United States for the critical minerals essential to domestic lithium battery manufacturing. Aqua Metals and 6K Energy have signed a multi-part memorandum of understanding (MOU) covering the scope of the collaboration in the coming years. This novel partnership marks a pivotal moment for decarbonization and electrification in the U.S., further enabling the nation's ambitious goal of establishing a robust domestic supply chain for clean energy technologies.

6K Energy's UniMelt process is the world's first full-scale microwave plasma production system, delivering significantly lower emissions and reduced capital and operating costs versus current cathode production methods. PlusCAM will be the world's first UniMelt plasma cathode manufacturing plant, providing low cost, ultra-s sustainable production of battery material in the U.S. 6K Energy has raised more than $350 million, including a $50 million grant from the Department of Energy, to fund the buildout and expansion of PlusCAM facilities. Aqua Metals currently operates the first sustainable lithium battery recycling facility at its Li AquaRefining pilot and is also developing a five-acre, 10,000 tonnes-per-year clean metals recycling campus nearby in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center -- enough critical material for 50,000 EV batteries each year.

Over a decade of battery recycling innovation, Aqua Metals has raised $275 million to support commercialization of its innovative technology and is applying for government-backed loans and grants to further accelerate commercial-scale deployments.