BASF Launches Black Mass Recycling Plant in Germany to Support Battery Circular Economy

BASF has started operations at its black mass production facility in Schwarzheide, eastern Germany, marking a significant step in the company’s strategy to establish a closed-loop battery value chain in Europe.

The plant, one of the largest of its kind on the continent, will process up to 15,000 tonnes of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and production scrap annually, which is equivalent to the battery material from around 40,000 electric vehicles. The facility complements BASF’s existing production lines for cathode active materials and its prototype metal refinery on the same site.

Originally scheduled to begin operations in early 2024, commissioning of the black mass plant was delayed but is now complete. The facility produces black mass, a material rich in lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, during the initial stage of battery recycling. This material is later refined through a hydrometallurgical process to recover and reuse the valuable metals.

“Our new Black Mass plant is another proof for our commitment to the battery materials and recycling industry, which remains to be one of the most significant growth opportunities in the chemical industry,” said Dr. Daniel Schönfelder, President of BASF’s Battery Materials division, in a company statement. He added that the plant will support efforts to enhance raw materials self-sufficiency and meet European regulatory requirements.

BASF’s black mass output is further refined at its prototype metal refinery in Schwarzheide. The company collaborates with Stena Recycling, a Swedish partner responsible for collecting and pre-treating battery waste. Under a 2024 agreement, the two firms aim to replicate their model at BASF’s future commercial-scale metal refinery.

In addition to recycling operations, BASF is also part of a strategic partnership with Chinese battery manufacturer CATL. The two companies are working on joint battery material and recycling initiatives, anchored by CATL’s battery production facility near Erfurt and BASF’s operations in Schwarzheide. The partnership aims to build a more sustainable and localized battery supply chain in Europe.

With the launch of the Schwarzheide plant, BASF says its capabilities now span the full battery recycling value chain in Europe—from battery collection and dismantling to black mass production and refining—supported by an integrated partner network.