Livium Ltd (ASX: LIT), Australia’s market-leading battery recycler focused on recycling clean energy waste, has been granted an Australian patent for its innovative wet shredding and separation process used in lithium-ion battery recycling. The patent, secured through Livium’s subsidiary Resource Conservation and Recycling Corporation Pty Ltd (RCARC), provides protection until 2041. This intellectual property (IP) is considered a key strategic asset for the company, safeguarding its process know-how and supporting its battery recycling roadmap in Australia.
The patented process covers the wet shredding and separation of valuable electrode material, also known as ‘black mass,’ and metals from lithium-ion batteries. Unlike dry shredding methods, which carry a higher risk of thermal events, Livium’s wet shredding process uses water to create an aqueous slurry, effectively mitigating fire risks and capturing volatile components, thereby enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Livium CEO and Managing Director Simon Linge commented that this patent milestone reinforces the company’s commitment to safe and efficient clean energy resource recovery. He highlighted that the wet-process route underpins Envirostream’s operations, minimizing fire risks while producing high-quality black mass for downstream refining. The patent complements Livium’s existing technology portfolio, including the REE processing technology developed in partnership with the University of Melbourne.
The granting of this patent is expected to boost confidence as Livium scales its business through a consolidated hub, aligning with global trends toward wet shredding in EV and LIB recycling. This method is increasingly favoured for suppressing energy release, preventing thermal runaway, and enabling efficient black-mass recovery, in line with stricter collection and recycling efficiency targets set by regulations like the EU Battery Regulation (2023/1542).
