Govt prohibits lithium-ion battery black mass exports

The government has prohibited the export of lithium-ion battery black mass with immediate effect to retain critical minerals for domestic recycling, an official said. The move aims to keep scarce minerals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel within the country, he added.

Black mass is the powdery material obtained by shredding end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and battery manufacturing waste. It contains recoverable quantities of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese.

(Reuters)The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) prohibited the export of lithium-ion battery black mass through a notification issued on November 10, placing the item in the prohibited category, the official, a spokesperson for the commerce and industry ministry, said.

Black mass is the powdery material obtained by shredding end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and battery manufacturing waste. It contains recoverable quantities of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese.

“The measure is to assure feedstock for domestic recyclers, reduce import dependence and strengthen battery and clean-energy supply chains,” he said. The prohibition covers waste and scrap of primary cells, primary batteries and electric accumulators, as well as spent cells, batteries and accumulators that are unsorted and do not contain lead, cadmium or mercury, he said.

Critical minerals are essential inputs for electric mobility, advanced chemistry cell batteries, energy storage, electronics and renewable energy. India depends substantially on imports for several of them, he said. “Recycling of battery waste is among the quickest and most sustainable ways of building a domestic supply of these minerals,” he added.

The country’s capacity to recycle battery waste and refine critical minerals has grown considerably but is not being fully utilised because of inadequate feedstock, he said. Exporting black mass generated in India diverts this valuable secondary resource abroad, while domestic recyclers have, in some cases, had to import material to meet their requirements, he said.

The prohibition is intended to ensure that black mass generated in India is recycled and refined within the country. It is expected to assure feedstock for domestic recycling and refining units, improve their capacity utilisation and encourage further investment and employment in the sector, he said.

The move will increase domestic recovery of lithium, cobalt, nickel and other critical minerals, reducing import dependence and the associated foreign exchange outgo, he said. It will also strengthen supply chains for battery manufacturing, electric vehicles, energy storage and clean-energy technologies, in line with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, he added.

The development should be seen in the context of the government’s vision to advance the circular economy and “urban mining”, which aim to reduce reliance on primary mining, he said. It will also support environmentally sound recycling of this hazardous material within the country under applicable environmental regulations, he added.

The measure complements the government’s initiatives under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), including the ₹1,500-crore incentive scheme approved by the Cabinet in September 2025 to develop recycling capacity for the separation and production of critical minerals from secondary sources such as battery waste and e-waste.

Retaining black mass within the country will help ensure that the recycling capacity being built under the scheme has access to adequate domestic feedstock. The step is also in keeping with measures taken by several major economies to retain critical mineral-bearing battery waste and black mass for domestic processing, he said.

Rajeev Jayaswal is a senior journalist, author and communication strategist with over three decades of experience covering India's economy, energy, trade and public policy. He is Senior Editor at Hindustan Times and author of The Lobbyists, recognised for insightful reporting, in-depth analysis and policy-focused journalism.Read More