Lohum Inaugurates India’s First Lithium Battery Refinery

Lohum has launched India's first battery-grade lithium refinery. With an annual production capacity of 1,000 metric tonnes, this plant should help India become a significant player in the global sustainable energy market. Lohum claims that it currently refines over 90 per cent of all lithium in the country, making it one of the largest lithium refiners outside China. 

The new facility aims to address India's energy security concerns and boost the nation's competitiveness in global critical minerals markets. The company claims its lithium refining operations achieve recovery rates exceeding 90 per cent, significantly higher than the industry average of 60-70 per cent. The purity levels currently reach 99.8 percent and are expected to improve to 99.99 percent soon through ongoing research and development efforts. Beyond refining, Lohum is also developing production capabilities for Cathode Active Materials (CAM) for use in lithium-ion battery manufacturing.

Currently, Lohum is sourcing all the materials from waste pickers, and a few OEMs. Post which they crush the batteries and extract the rare earth minerals from these batteries. Minerals that one can salvage from a used battery include Lithium, Nickel, Manganese, and Cobalt to name a few. Post this process, the minerals extracted are then sent to battery manufacturers for the production of brand new li-ion batteries. The company currently exports a significant amount of these resources, and in the future hopes to have more buyers from India. 

“Lohum's lithium refining leadership, coupled with our growing capabilities in value-added products like Cathode Active Materials, positions us as a key partner in building a Viksit and Atmanirbhar Bharat. We are sustainably producing globally competitive critical mineral products at low CapEx and OpEx, thereby reducing India's reliance on Chinese lithium imports.," said Rajat Verma, Founder and CEO of Lohum Corporation.

This development comes amid growing concerns over China's dominance in the lithium supply chain. In January 2025, China restricted exports of lithium refining technology and equipment for advanced LFP battery technology, for which it controls over 95 per cent of global production capacity. Lohum's expansion aligns with India's National Critical Minerals Mission, a government initiative with a budget of ₹34,000 crore announced earlier this year to support exploration, processing, and research in critical minerals. The company expects its lithium production to grow another 20-30 times within the next four years.