A Fishers-based company, ReElement Technologies, is using a new technology to help the United States strengthen its position in the minerals market by recycling critical elements from batteries. The company has developed a technology that can extract rare earth elements from used batteries by placing them into specially designed resin-filled tubes. This process allows for the recovery of valuable elements that were previously lost during the recycling process.
Dave Sauve, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, describes ReElement Technologies as a “midstream refiner” with a long-term goal of decentralizing the rare earth element supply chain, which is currently dominated by China. The company’s ability to extract rare earth elements from end-of-life materials like batteries and freshly mined ore is considered an “Industry game changer” by Sauve.
The technology used by ReElement Technologies was developed and perfected over the last 40 years at Purdue University by Professor Linda Wang. ReElement Technologies not only offers its services to U.S. producers of recycled and ore-sourced rare earth metals but also has the potential to be used on-site at overseas mines and manufacturers. Sauve believes that while the United States may not overtake China in the market, the new technology will help reduce China’s current monopoly on the critical mineral market. The material produced by ReElement Technologies is not only in high demand but also contributes to a more environmentally safe domestic supply chain of critical materials.
