CRM Lion - Recovery of Critical Raw Materials from Li-ion Batteries Through Improved Recycling Processes
The CRM Lion project is developing new, sustainable technologies for recycling lithium-ion batteries. These technologies combine innovative electrochemical and hydrometallurgical methods in facilities with a modular and scalable design. This enables critical raw materials to be recovered more efficiently and cleanly. In doing so, the project strengthens Europe’s circular economy and self-sufficiency in critical raw materials for a circular battery ecosystem.
Projectinformation:
- Project name: CRM Lion
- Duration: December 2025 – December 2029
- Status of financing: Grant awarded
Why CRM Lion?
The Netherlands depends on other countries for the supply of critical raw materials and essential products for our society, including batteries. This makes the Netherlands vulnerable to disruptions in supply chains. To become less dependent, as the Netherlands and Europe, on regions such as Asia and to gain greater autonomy in the field of batteries, the CRM Lion consortium aims to build its own circular value chain. Within this chain, end‑of‑life lithium‑ion batteries can be processed locally into new raw materials, enabling us to produce new batteries ourselves once again.
What is CRM Lion?
CRM Lion stands for Recovery of Critical Raw Materials from Li‑ion Batteries Through Improved Recycling Processes. The project name clearly reflects its focus: CRM refers to Critical Raw Materials and Lion to Lithium‑ion, the core subject of the project—recovering critical raw materials from lithium‑ion batteries. The CRM Lion project brings together the strengths of multiple partners to accelerate innovation.
Within the project, companies and research institutions are developing innovative, modular technologies to recycle lithium‑ion batteries and process them into so‑called black mass. From this black mass, critical and valuable raw materials are recovered, which can then be reused in, for example, next‑generation batteries. The project will result in a sustainable value chain for battery recycling with lower energy consumption, reduced chemical waste, and a smaller carbon footprint.
What will this deliver?
The project will create a new value chain from batteries to secondary critical raw materials:
- Economically viable black mass production facility (≥ 2 Kton/year) with standardised quality assessment.
- Two complementary processing routes for various lithium-ion battery streams with fewer chemicals, less waste, and reduced CO₂ emissions.
- Automated assembly facility for electro-extraction cells to enable modular scaling of recovery technology based on material flow size.
The project serves as a collaboration platform for automotive and battery OEMs, electronics manufacturers, scrap processors, and battery recyclers to enable the future of domestic battery recycling and production.
Innovations within CRM Lion
- Development and implementation of a modular recycling facility that can be scaled according to battery volumes.
- Electrified separation and refining technologies with lower energy consumption, fewer chemicals, and minimal waste.
- Development of a standardised analysis method for black mass to determine quality and composition.
- Combining electrochemical and hydrometallurgical processes for higher efficiency and purity of recovered materials.
- Design, development, and optimisation of a production facility for electro-extraction cells.
- Strong value chain collaboration between industry, research institutes, and recyclers to build a European battery ecosystem.
In this project, TNO is responsible for coordination, with the following partners involved:
