Battery recycling involves black mass processing to recover the valuable materials batteries contain. Due to its composition, black mass is traded as a commodity. It is sold both here and abroad, but it faces newly imposed federal export restrictions.
What it is
Used batteries can be shredded and the valuable metals they contain separated and prepared for recycling. These metals primarily include lithium, copper, cobalt, nickel, and manganese. The name “black mass” is given to the metallic mixture in the anode—the negative electrode of a battery—due to its high concentration of graphite, which is a deep black color. Some black mass producers use a high-temperature process called pyrometallurgy to burn off unwanted materials, though this can result in hazardous emissions. Others employ hydrometallurgy, a process that uses water, electricity, and chemicals to create a black mass that is lower in carbon content and free from pollution.Black mass classification
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not put black mass in a universal waste category. However, before the recycling process, it can exhibit certain hazardous waste characteristics, and, at that time, is subject to both state and local regulations. These regulations also apply to the transportation of hazardous materials.
Saleable commodity
Trading as a commodity, black mass is priced according to the value of the metals it contains. Recycling companies purchase black mass on the open market. For example, buyers who choose nickel-cobalt black mass will pay a percentage of the market price depending on how much of those metals the black mass contains. When selling to customers overseas, nickel-cobalt black mass must meet metal content parameters. In Europe and Asia, the minimums are 12% nickel, 5% cobalt, and 3% lithium.New restrictions
The Bureau of Industry and Security has recently imposed black mass export restrictions. The regulations become effective on August 27, 2026, and impact the entire U.S. battery recycling industry. Essentially, those in the U.S. who engage in black mass sales must allocate 100% of their sales to customers in the United States unless the Bureau grants an exception. There are three important points in the ruling: the material under consideration must be shredded, it must come from lithium-ion battery scrap, and it must contain anode, cathode, or “other residual battery cell materials.” The new restrictions will be enforced under the auspices of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. However, the Bureau will consider granting exceptions for black mass recyclers who already have offshore relationships.
Environmental benefits
In 2025, an article published in “Environmental Science & Technology” focused on a study that looked at industrial-scale recycling. Researchers determined that the production of black mass generates only a small amount of carbon. Therefore, processing black mass is a much cleaner operation than mining for minerals. At Urban E Recycling, we are aware that recycling batteries helps to reduce environmental pollution, and that black mass recycling promotes sustainability. The black mass repurposing operation that results in usable resources not only helps the environment directly but also contributes to a circular economy.
Mother Nature doesn’t want your old computers but we do.
