U.S. Black Mass Recycling Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Battery Type (Lithium-ion, Nickel-based), By Battery Source (Automotive Batteries, Consumer Electronics, Industrial Batteries), By Recovered Metals, And Segment Forecasts, 2025 - 2033

U.S. Black Mass Recycling Market Summary

The U.S. black mass recycling market size was valued at USD 1.16 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 4.75 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 17.2% from 2025 to 2033. Upward trend in battery disposal creates consistent feedstock for black mass recycling facilities, thus driving market growth in the U.S.

The deployment of battery-electric vehicles in the U.S. accelerated in 2024, with automakers scaling production to meet rising consumer and regulatory demands. Companies such as Tesla, Ford, and General Motors significantly ramped domestic EV output, contributing to the expanding EV ecosystem. This surge in production naturally resulted in a larger volume of lithium-ion batteries reaching end-of-life, either through vehicle retirement or manufacturing scrap. As a result, the availability of black mass, comprising valuable battery metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, increased substantially.

U.S.-based black mass recyclers have responded with large-scale infrastructure expansion and capital-intensive projects. Redwood Materials announced that by 2026, it aims to produce 100 GWh of cathode-active materials annually, enough to power over one million EVs, using recovered minerals from the black mass. Ascend Elements also advanced its position in 2024 by constructing a USD 65 million recycling facility in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. This plant is projected to process up to 24,000 metric tons of lithium-ion battery material annually. These developments indicate a strategic move towards scaling operations, improving recycling efficiency, and capturing value from a growing domestic battery waste stream.

Government support strengthened the momentum in 2024, particularly through financial incentives and loan guarantees. Redwood Materials secured a USD 2 billion loan from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program to expand its Nevada-based recycling facility. This governmental backing mitigates financial risk for recycling companies and provides the liquidity needed to expand processing capacities and technologies. Such federal involvement reflects broader national efforts to localize critical mineral supply chains and reduce dependency on overseas sources, particularly amid geopolitical supply risks tied to materials like cobalt and lithium.

A critical enabler of market stability has been the formation of closed-loop partnerships between recyclers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Redwood Materials’ collaborations with Toyota and Panasonic ensured a reliable stream of battery production scrap and end-of-life batteries for processing. Similarly, Ascend Elements partnered with SK Ecoplant to convert recycled black mass into high-value cathode precursor materials. These agreements ensure recyclers can access consistent input material and help automakers meet sustainability goals by reintegrating recovered minerals into new battery production. Establishing such loops is pivotal to building a circular economy for battery materials within the U.S.

Lastly, stringent regulatory frameworks and rising environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expectations continue to play a central role in 2024. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and other federal and state-level initiatives incentivize domestic recycling and penalize environmentally harmful disposal practices. With increased scrutiny on battery end-of-life management, U.S. recyclers are positioned as essential contributors to a lower-carbon EV supply chain. These policy levers encourage industrial investment and ensure that black mass recycling aligns with broader goals of clean energy transition, resource independence, and long-term sustainability.

U.S. Black Mass Recycling Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue and volume growth at the country level and analyzes the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2021 to 2033. For the purpose of this study, the analyst has segmented the U.S. black mass recycling market report by battery type, battery source, and recovered metal.

Battery Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; Volume, Kilotons; 2021 - 2033)

• Lithium-Ion Batteries
• Nickel-Based Batteries

Battery Source Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; Volume, Kilotons; 2021 - 2033)

• Automotive Batteries
• Consumer Electronics
• Industrial Batteries
• Others

Recovered Metal Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; Volume, Kilotons; 2021 - 2033)

• Nickel
• Cobalt
• Lithium
• Copper
• Others

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