Latest news with #Lohum
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India's rare earth rescue: Can e-waste recycling break China's grip?
It has been months since countries across the world are scrambling and huddling together to find a solution for the rare earths crunch imposed by China. For India, the supply bottleneck for rare earths is threatening to put spanner in the 'manufacturing wheel' of the country, as they find usage in every modern industry– from EVs and mobile phones to fighter jets and wind turbines. However, scaling up the capacity for mining and processing of rare earths is time-consuming as well as energy-intensive activity, impacting India's net-zero targets. As the government prepares for the scheme for incentivising the production of rare earths magnets while also scouting for the rare earth assets abroad, there is another goldmine that is hard to ignore–and that is e-waste. According to a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change report, India produced 1.751 million tonnes of e-waste in 2023-24, third highest in the world. Yet, only 43 per cent of e-waste is processed annually. Enter private players like Attero India and Lohum who have taken up the gauntlet to address India's challenge in securing its rare earths' future by handling the e-waste, simultaneously fulfilling the goal of a circular economy. Scaling with Science With advanced technology at the centre, these private players are scaling up their capacity to meet India's burgeoning demand for rare earths. Attero India recently announced a ₹100 crore investment to ramp up their rare earths recycling capacity to 30,000 tonnes over the next 12 to 24 months, from the current 300 tonnes. 'For rare earth magnets, our current recycling capacity is 1 tonne per day, which we are scaling to 100 tonnes per day. Our patented technology has a recovery rate of 99.9 per cent for rare earths from the different feedstocks which include materials like batteries, refrigerators, solar panels, EVs, etc,' says Nitin Gupta, CEO, Attero India. The company has around 47 patents around the world for its recycling technology and more than 200 are already filed. Another player Lohum, which is primarily a lithium-ion battery recycler, is planning to augment its recycling capacity to rare earth elements like neodymium, lanthanum, scandium, yttrium, cerium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium and europium. Lohum's proprietary NEETM technology is at the heart of its operations, which is a zero-waste and zero-emission process to extract minerals from e-waste. The company, recently, also held discussions with the Japan delegation which was there in India to explore tie-ups in the battery supply chain and rare earths supply. More startups are mushrooming in the e-waste recycling space like BatX Energies and Metastable Materials; however, they are currently restricted to recycling critical minerals like lithium, cobalt and nickel. Recycling e-waste meets just 1 per cent of the rare earths demand globally, while the estimated economic value of metals in the e-waste is approximately $91 billion, as per the Global E-waste Monitor report, 2024. This means there exists a huge untapped potential in this industry and the emergence of new players is a clear sign that the e-waste recycling industry is increasingly gaining recognition as a bigwig in the global critical minerals and rare earths supply chain. Does India have the potential to become a global rare earth recycling hub? The recent chokehold imposed by China presents a unique opportunity for India to up its ante and position itself as a global alternative in the rare earths supply chain– and recycling presents a viable option. Policy experts and industry leaders argue that India has all the ingredients to position itself as global leader in rare earth recycling. 'It is vital for India to scale up the recycling capacity if we want to reduce our dependence on China for rare earth magnets. With rules like Extended Producer Responsibility, e-waste collection has also started to get a bit streamlined. Moreover, a new crop of startups focused on R&D are already providing the technological maturity to this sector. So, definitely India has the potential to become a global hub of rare earth recycling,' opines Ashim Sharma, Senior Partner & Group Head Business Performance Improvement Consulting (Auto, Engg. & Logistics) - at Nomura Research Institute. Nitin Gupta of Attero is more optimistic about the future and believes recycling, when scaled up, alone can reduce 60 per cent of our reliance on China for rare earth elements. Rajat Verma, Founder and CEO of Lohum echoes the same sentiment and adds: 'With continued investment in technology, infrastructure, and formalisation, India can not only reduce its own import dependency but also become a global partner for sustainable critical materials and advanced technology, challenging China's monopolies in the process.' Lohum counts top brands like Mercedes Benz Energy, Ola, Tata, Panasonic among its customers. India's potential arises from its massive domestic feedstock, with its ambitious target for EV adoption and renewables deployment. Over the years, the government has also taken proactive regulatory measures to support the sector. Moreover, new-age players are pouring in money in R&D to zero in on technology that is efficient and scalable. 'The present technologies in the country show promise and the ability of India to innovate and compete on a global scale,' says Shubham Vishvakarma , founder and Chief of Process Engineering at Metastable Materials. However, the fledgling sector has its own share of challenges. Global race, local gaps Worldwide, the rare earth recycling industry is fragmented. While Europe has a strong recycling base in the west; in Asia pacific, it is Japan which is a key player, with companies like Hitachi, Mitsubishi leading the charge. Policy experts credit the stringent environmental regulations and early government intervention and strong R&D push for catalysing this industry. In India, the e-waste collection market is still largely informal and there is policy misalignment. Saloni Sachdeva Michael , energy specialist, India Clean Energy Transition, at Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) says: 'Despite increasing focus on critical mineral recovery, policy misalignment continues to be a major barrier to scaling up recycling efforts. Until recently, solar panels, batteries, and e-waste were all treated as a single category, despite each requiring distinct recycling processes. Recently, CPCB has released draft guidelines for the safe storage and handling of solar waste, including photovoltaic (PV) panels, which is a welcome move.' The regulatory framework for managing e-waste in the country comes under e-Waste Management Rules, 2016, while the Central Pollution Control Board is responsible for overseeing the implementation of these rules. Vitalising the e-waste recycling industry is also an important aspect of the National Critical Mineral Mission, launched in 2025 for strengthening the critical mineral supply chain. However, things are not moving at the pace which would give a fillip to the industry. The government needs to show a little more swiftness in executing the plans, stresses Nitin Gupta of Attero. On the other hand, Saloni highlights that significant disconnects still remain, particularly in aligning the roles of various ministries and agencies under the National Critical Mission although it is intended to bridge institutional and regulatory gaps. These misalignments continue to hamper India's ability to build a sustainable and circular rare earth supply chain. Reportedly, the government is also working on a PLI scheme for boosting this sector, though the policy corridors have now fallen silent. Given the momentum slowly building up around recycling, isolated efforts would not be enough– there is a need for developing a fully integrated value chain. 'It will not be just recycling that will reduce our reliance on China. We need an entire ecosystem, especially the cell manufacturing business, the cathode active material business. These need to be stitched with the policies and standards of recycled material. The government should take a horizon of 10-15 years to make things work, with a focus on R&D,' says Vikrant Singh , CTO and Cofounder, Batx Energies. The road ahead In its rare earth journey, India is standing at an inflection point. China's supply squeeze has exposed deep vulnerabilities in its strategic autonomy. But, it is also the time when the focus should shift to homegrown innovation, policy reform and industrial collaboration, where recycling is not just a fringe option, but a strategic shift.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India's rare earth rescue: Can e-waste recycling break China's grip?
It has been months since countries across the world are scrambling and huddling together to find a solution for the rare earths crunch imposed by China. For India, the supply bottleneck for rare earths is threatening to put spanner in the 'manufacturing wheel' of the country, as they find usage in every modern industry– from EVs and mobile phones to fighter jets and wind turbines. However, scaling up the capacity for mining and processing of rare earths is time-consuming as well as energy-intensive activity, impacting India's net-zero targets. As the government prepares for the scheme for incentivising the production of rare earths magnets while also scouting for the rare earth assets abroad, there is another goldmine that is hard to ignore–and that is e-waste. According to a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change report, India produced 1.751 million tonnes of e-waste in 2023-24, third highest in the world. Yet, only 43 per cent of e-waste is processed annually. Enter private players like Attero India and Lohum who have taken up the gauntlet to address India's challenge in securing its rare earths' future by handling the e-waste, simultaneously fulfilling the goal of a circular economy. Scaling with Science With advanced technology at the centre, these private players are scaling up their capacity to meet India's burgeoning demand for rare earths. Attero India recently announced a ₹100 crore investment to ramp up their rare earths recycling capacity to 30,000 tonnes over the next 12 to 24 months, from the current 300 tonnes. 'For rare earth magnets, our current recycling capacity is 1 tonne per day, which we are scaling to 100 tonnes per day. Our patented technology has a recovery rate of 99.9 per cent for rare earths from the different feedstocks which include materials like batteries, refrigerators, solar panels, EVs, etc,' says Nitin Gupta, CEO, Attero India. The company has around 47 patents around the world for its recycling technology and more than 200 are already filed. Another player Lohum, which is primarily a lithium-ion battery recycler, is planning to augment its recycling capacity to rare earth elements like neodymium, lanthanum, scandium, yttrium, cerium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium and europium. Lohum's proprietary NEETM technology is at the heart of its operations, which is a zero-waste and zero-emission process to extract minerals from e-waste. The company, recently, also held discussions with the Japan delegation which was there in India to explore tie-ups in the battery supply chain and rare earths supply. More startups are mushrooming in the e-waste recycling space like BatX Energies and Metastable Materials; however, they are currently restricted to recycling critical minerals like lithium, cobalt and nickel. Recycling e-waste meets just 1 per cent of the rare earths demand globally, while the estimated economic value of metals in the e-waste is approximately $91 billion, as per the Global E-waste Monitor report, 2024. This means there exists a huge untapped potential in this industry and the emergence of new players is a clear sign that the e-waste recycling industry is increasingly gaining recognition as a bigwig in the global critical minerals and rare earths supply chain. Does India have the potential to become a global rare earth recycling hub? The recent chokehold imposed by China presents a unique opportunity for India to up its ante and position itself as a global alternative in the rare earths supply chain– and recycling presents a viable option. Policy experts and industry leaders argue that India has all the ingredients to position itself as global leader in rare earth recycling. 'It is vital for India to scale up the recycling capacity if we want to reduce our dependence on China for rare earth magnets. With rules like Extended Producer Responsibility, e-waste collection has also started to get a bit streamlined. Moreover, a new crop of startups focused on R&D are already providing the technological maturity to this sector. So, definitely India has the potential to become a global hub of rare earth recycling,' opines Ahsim Sharma, Senior Partner & Group Head Business Performance Improvement Consulting (Auto, Engg. & Logistics) - at Nomura Research Institute. Nitin Gupta of Attero is more optimistic about the future and believes recycling, when scaled up, alone can reduce 60 per cent of our reliance on China for rare earth elements. Rajat Verma, Founder and CEO of Lohum echoes the same sentiment and adds: 'With continued investment in technology, infrastructure, and formalisation, India can not only reduce its own import dependency but also become a global partner for sustainable critical materials and advanced technology, challenging China's monopolies in the process.' Lohum counts top brands like Mercedes Benz Energy, Ola, Tata, Panasonic among its customers. India's potential arises from its massive domestic feedstock, with its ambitious target for EV adoption and renewables deployment. Over the years, the government has also taken proactive regulatory measures to support the sector. Moreover, new-age players are pouring in money in R&D to zero in on technology that is efficient and scalable. 'The present technologies in the country show promise and the ability of India to innovate and compete on a global scale,' says Shubham Vishvakarma , founder and Chief of Process Engineering at Metastable Materials. However, the fledgling sector has its own share of challenges. Global race, local gaps Worldwide, the rare earth recycling industry is fragmented. While Europe has a strong recycling base in the west; in Asia pacific, it is Japan which is a key player, with companies like Hitachi, Mitsubishi leading the charge. Policy experts credit the stringent environmental regulations and early government intervention and strong R&D push for catalysing this industry. In India, the e-waste collection market is still largely informal and there is policy misalignment. Saloni Sachdeva Michael , energy specialist, India Clean Energy Transition, at Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) says: 'Despite increasing focus on critical mineral recovery, policy misalignment continues to be a major barrier to scaling up recycling efforts. Until recently, solar panels, batteries, and e-waste were all treated as a single category, despite each requiring distinct recycling processes. Recently, CPCB has released draft guidelines for the safe storage and handling of solar waste, including photovoltaic (PV) panels, which is a welcome move.' The regulatory framework for managing e-waste in the country comes under e-Waste Management Rules, 2016, while the Central Pollution Control Board is responsible for overseeing the implementation of these rules. Vitalising the e-waste recycling industry is also an important aspect of the National Critical Mineral Mission, launched in 2025 for strengthening the critical mineral supply chain. However, things are not moving at the pace which would give a fillip to the industry. The government needs to show a little more swiftness in executing the plans, stresses Nitin Gupta of Attero. On the other hand, Saloni highlights that significant disconnects still remain, particularly in aligning the roles of various ministries and agencies under the National Critical Mission although it is intended to bridge institutional and regulatory gaps. These misalignments continue to hamper India's ability to build a sustainable and circular rare earth supply chain. Reportedly, the government is also working on a PLI scheme for boosting this sector, though the policy corridors have now fallen silent. Given the momentum slowly building up around recycling, isolated efforts would not be enough– there is a need for developing a fully integrated value chain. 'It will not be just recycling that will reduce our reliance on China. We need an entire ecosystem, especially the cell manufacturing business, the cathode active material business. These need to be stitched with the policies and standards of recycled material. The government should take a horizon of 10-15 years to make things work, with a focus on R&D,' says Vikrant Singh , CTO and Cofounder, Batx Energies. The road ahead In its rare earth journey, India is standing at an inflection point. China's supply squeeze has exposed deep vulnerabilities in its strategic autonomy. But, it is also the time when the focus should shift to homegrown innovation, policy reform and industrial collaboration, where recycling is not just a fringe option, but a strategic shift.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
India's battery recycling sector offers lifeline to global EV players as China tightens mineral exports
As China's export restrictions on critical minerals jolt global supply chains, India's battery recycling industry could emerge as a key fallback for countries scrambling to secure rare earth elements used in electric vehicle (EV) motors. A Japanese delegation is scheduled to engage in dialogue with Indian battery recycling ecosystem players including Vedanta and Lohum this week, in what is being seen as a push to diversify away from China-dominated supply chains. The visit comes on the heels of China tightening export controls on essential rare earth elements — including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium — that are critical to high-performance permanent magnets used in EVs, smartphones, and defence applications. The restrictions have triggered alarm among global automakers, who now face the twin challenges of production delays and rising input costs. India and Japan are learned to have initiated discussions to chart a response, with supply chain resilience high on the agenda. These talks have culminated in the Battery and Critical Minerals Ecosystem Conference being held today at the Embassy of Japan in Delhi, where government officials, OEMs, financiers, and recycling firms from Japan, India, Australia and the US are participating. The Conference will host sessions focused on challenges in refining, recycling, and securing anchor off-takers, all key gaps in India's critical minerals and battery ecosystem. While India is scaling up lithium exploration and refining capabilities, experts say recycling offers a more immediate and scalable solution. Refining and processing capacity remains heavily concentrated in a few countries, posing significant technical and geopolitical risks to global EV and clean tech growth. The conference will also feature closed-door business-to-business (B2B) meetings between Indian recyclers, global OEMs, and financial institutions such as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Tata Capital's Decarbonisation Fund, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The idea is to ensure financial backing and anchor customers for new entrants in India's recycling and refining space. Discussions will cover bankability, joint R&D, and long-term offtake agreements — all seen as prerequisites for breaking the dominance of traditional players in the battery and minerals sector. China's tightening grip has forced a rethink in the way global supply chains are structured, with recycling now viewed as a strategic lever — not just an environmental necessity. For India, it opens a window to position itself as a reliable, democratic alternative for critical mineral recovery.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
India's battery recycling sector offers lifeline to global EV players as China tightens mineral exports
New Delhi: As China's export restrictions on critical minerals jolt global supply chains, India's battery recycling industry could emerge as a key fallback for countries scrambling to secure rare earth elements used in electric vehicle (EV) motors. A Japanese delegation is scheduled to engage in dialogue with Indian battery recycling ecosystem players including Vedanta and Lohum this week, in what is being seen as a push to diversify away from China-dominated supply chains. The visit comes on the heels of China tightening export controls on essential rare earth elements — including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium — that are critical to high-performance permanent magnets used in EVs, smartphones, and defence applications. The restrictions have triggered alarm among global automakers, who now face the twin challenges of production delays and rising input costs. India and Japan are learned to have initiated discussions to chart a response, with supply chain resilience high on the agenda. These talks have culminated in the Battery and Critical Minerals Ecosystem Conference being held today at the Embassy of Japan in Delhi, where government officials, OEMs, financiers, and recycling firms from Japan, India, Australia and the US are participating. The Conference will host sessions focused on challenges in refining, recycling, and securing anchor off-takers, all key gaps in India's critical minerals and battery ecosystem. While India is scaling up lithium exploration and refining capabilities, experts say recycling offers a more immediate and scalable solution. Refining and processing capacity remains heavily concentrated in a few countries, posing significant technical and geopolitical risks to global EV and clean tech growth. The conference will also feature closed-door business-to-business (B2B) meetings between Indian recyclers, global OEMs, and financial institutions such as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Tata Capital's Decarbonisation Fund, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The idea is to ensure financial backing and anchor customers for new entrants in India's recycling and refining space. Discussions will cover bankability, joint R&D, and long-term offtake agreements — all seen as prerequisites for breaking the dominance of traditional players in the battery and minerals sector. China's tightening grip has forced a rethink in the way global supply chains are structured, with recycling now viewed as a strategic lever — not just an environmental necessity. For India, it opens a window to position itself as a reliable, democratic alternative for critical mineral recovery.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India must address import dependence in Cobalt supply to boost security
The border may have cooled, but a more enduring battle brews far from the frontlines—deep inside supply chains and smelting plants. The brief but tense India-Pakistan standoff, where air defence systems were activated and electronic surveillance was ramped up, exposed an uncomfortable truth: India's reliance on imports to meet its demand for Cobalt that powers some of our advanced weapon systems. From precision missiles to stealth aircraft and smart naval platforms, cobalt is used in bulk. But for now, India imports almost all of it, mostly from China. "Cobalt is not just a metal; it's a national security enabler," says Vinayak Singal, Assistant Vice President at Lohum. "India currently imports cobalt from China to manufacture high-performance superalloys used in our defence technologies. This overreliance makes us acutely vulnerable." The strategic edge beneath the surface During the recent Indo-Pak conflict, the readiness of Indian forces, especially air and missile defence, was on full display. Behind that hardware lie systems powered by cobalt-rich alloys and magnets. Hypersonic engines, UAVs, radar domes, and submarine propulsion all depend on cobalt for heat resistance, magnetic strength, and durability. According to the 2024 Cobalt Market Report, global defence-led demand for cobalt is on the rise. For India, aiming to indigenise its platforms, be it LCA Tejas or long-endurance drones, continued cobalt dependence is a major issue. China's grip on the cobalt supply chain Nearly 80% of the world's cobalt is refined by China. Add to this its control over 15 of the largest copper-cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the picture becomes even starker. China has already demonstrated its willingness to weaponise supply chains—tightening exports of gallium and germanium in 2023. "Given cobalt's use in hypersonic cruise missiles, radar systems, and battlefield communication tools, any disruption in supply could delay critical defence programs and undermine India's national security," says Rajib Maitra, Partner at Deloitte India. India's strategic push: Building domestic capability A Vedanta Limited spokesperson acknowledged the urgency of the situation. 'India's 100% cobalt import reliance is a strategic vulnerability. While domestic exploration is essential long-term, immediate gains lie in refining, recycling, and smart sourcing,' the spokesperson said. Vedanta has committed to scaling up cobalt production from 1ktpa to 6ktpa at its Konkola Copper Mines in Zambia. In parallel, it is building refining capacity under its Vedanta NICO project in India. 'Recycling and recovery are a major opportunity for India,' the spokesperson noted. 'Incentivizing by-product cobalt recovery from tailings offers another pragmatic avenue. Simultaneously, investing in global upstream assets will bolster India's supply security.' The focus must be on refining 'While it's true that India is fully import dependent for cobalt like some of the other critical minerals, there is one difference,' says Nishant Nishchal, Partner at Kearney. 'Only one part of the value chain is constrained. For cobalt, it's the refining that is concentrated in China. That's where India needs to focus.' Nishchal adds that while urban mining shows long-term promise, defence-grade cobalt purity levels can only be assured through proper refining infrastructure. 'The choice is clear—India must develop its refining ecosystem,' he says. The urban mining opportunity and its limits Recycling, if scaled and streamlined, could be a game-changer in reducing India's cobalt vulnerability. As electric vehicles and battery-based systems grow in volume, so will the availability of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries containing cobalt. With the right mix of technology, policy support, and public-private partnerships, recycling could help India build a domestic source of cobalt. Not only would this lower dependency on imports, but it would also support a circular economy that aligns with India's sustainability and strategic autonomy goals. India produced 1.75 million tonnes of e-waste in FY24. Lithium-ion batteries make up a growing portion of this, containing recyclable cobalt. But only 43% of this e-waste is processed, and fewer facilities can meet the high-purity requirements needed for defence applications. Indian startups are testing advanced recycling processes using low-heat, high-recovery methods that isolate cobalt through magnetism and solubility. But in the absence of government incentives, collection infrastructure, and legal mandates, these innovations struggle to scale. Policy gaps that undermine sovereignty Given Cobalt's strategic value, India's mining and waste policies must cover cobalt recovery and mine closure plans should include tailings assessment for critical minerals. Public procurement for defence systems should also mandate domestic cobalt sourcing. India's recent military posturing during the Indo-Pak tensions showed operational strength but true strategic autonomy lies deeper — in resource control. As global conflicts become supply-chain wars, minerals like cobalt are the new oil. "Cobalt is the Achilles' heel of modern defence systems. The sooner we localize its supply, the better prepared we are for future conflicts," says Lohum's Vinayak Singal. India is making moves through its ₹7,000 crore National Critical Minerals Mission and by directing PSUs like KABIL to scout global mining assets. But to truly de-risk its defence ambitions, India must build refining capacity at home, mandate cobalt recovery across sectors, and strike long-term mineral diplomacy deals.
