Hydrometallurgical Processes for Lithium Battery Recycling (LIBRES)

Funded by the Research Council of Norway and Industrial Partners.

LIBRES was a research and innovation project funded by the Norges forskningsråd under the ENERGIX programme (2018 to 2022). The project addressed one of the most pressing challenges in the green transition: efficient and sustainable recycling of lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles and other large-scale applications.

Led by Norsk Hydro ASA, LIBRES aimed to develop a next-generation recycling process capable of significantly improving material recovery rates compared to conventional technologies. Existing recycling routes often recover only a limited fraction of valuable elements and show particularly low recovery of lithium. LIBRES focused on increasing the recovery of lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, aluminium, graphite, and fluoride-containing compounds while reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.

The project brought together key industrial and research partners across the battery value chain, including Batteriretur, Glencore Nikkelverk, Keliber Oy, and leading research institutions such as NTNU and RWTH Aachen University. This strong collaboration ensured both scientific depth and industrial relevance.

Results from LIBRES contributed directly to the establishment and technological development of Hydrovolt, one of Europe’s largest battery recycling facilities. The project also strengthened Norwegian competence in battery recycling, supporting more than twenty student theses and building expertise for a growing circular battery industry.

LIBRES laid important groundwork for scalable, high-efficiency recycling solutions that support sustainable electrification and a circular economy for critical battery materials.