Aqua Metals and 6K Energy Announce Partnership to Develop Next Generation of Sustainable Materials for Lithium Batteries

Companies enter into strategic development agreement to build a domestic supply chain for low-carbon battery cathode production

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. and RENO, Nev., May 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aqua Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AQMS) (“Aqua Metals"), a pioneer in sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling, and 6K Energy, a leader in the production of sustainable materials for lithium-ion batteries, today announced a partnership to develop the next generation of low-carbon battery materials and plans to establish a long-term agreement for 6K Energy’s PlusCAM cathode material manufacturing plant. Both Aqua Metals and 6K Energy (“the Companies”) share the vision of creating a domestic low-carbon supply chain for critical battery materials and advancing cost-effective production methods for sustainable lithium-ion batteries.

The Companies have initiated the partnership with a non-recurring engineering (NRE) agreement to further develop low-carbon technology for the conversion of critical metals, first virgin and later recycled material, into battery-grade cathode active material (CAM) precursors, which are essential to 6K Energy’s advanced cathode manufacturing. Aqua Metals is leading the development of the innovative conversion process, designed to replace chemical catalysts with clean electricity, and enables the sustainable production of cost-effective CAM precursors by eliminating embedded emissions, recurring expenses, and chemical waste byproducts.

"Manufacturing a genuinely sustainable, lithium-ion battery within the U.S. demands new industrial competencies and leapfrog technologies like our UniMelt microwave plasma," said Thanh Nguyen, Senior VP of Deployment for 6K Energy. “Integrating 6K Energy’s low cost, ultra-sustainable cathode manufacturing capabilities at our PlusCAM factory with Aqua Metals’ low-carbon innovative conversion process sets a new standard in minimizing emissions in lithium battery manufacturing.”

Addressing a primary challenge of next-generation battery manufacturing, 6K Energy and Aqua Metals are fostering a future where sustainable, high-performance lithium batteries are made in the U.S. from domestically sourced materials. Cathode active material is the most expensive component in a lithium battery, and it is currently manufactured almost exclusively in China. This partnership not only creates low-carbon resources for battery and electric vehicle manufacturers but also enables greater supply independence at a competitive cost and less production time than imported materials from foreign sources.