Rocklink India has set up an integrated recycling facility for lithium-ion batteries and rare earth magnets at UPSIDC Industrial Area in Secunderabad, Uttar Pradesh, the first such operation in the country. The plant is designed to process lithium-ion batteries, rare earth magnets, and metal-bearing industrial waste, supporting efforts to strengthen domestic recycling of key materials and develop circular supply chains. The facility has an initial lithium-ion battery recycling capacity of 10,000 tons per year, as well as rare earth magnet processing operations of 60 tons per month.The company is also set to commission a rare earth chloride processing unit with a capacity of 1,500 tonnes per annum in the first quarter of 2026, with the aim of enhancing its capabilities in the recovery of rare earth materials. According to Leonard Alexander Ansorge, director of Rocklink India Pvt. Ltd., the facility aims to support the development of recycling infrastructure for key materials used in electric mobility, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.
The plant is registered under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) norms and is equipped to handle 95 types of battery scrap, including pre- and post-consumer materials. It uses the company’s in-house developed recycling process, called R2, which turns battery waste into reusable components while managing hazardous emissions. The company says the process is designed to handle a variety of battery formats and chemistries, with systems to capture volatile organic compounds through controlled processing and waste gas treatment. The facility achieves recovery rates of more than 98 percent for metals such as aluminum, copper and iron, while producing black mass for further refining.Apart from recycling, Rocklink India plans to introduce battery refurbishment operations at the site. This will allow for testing, balancing and regenerating usable cells, extending battery life and improving resource efficiency. The facility also includes dedicated infrastructure for the recycling of rare earth magnets, covering materials such as NdFeB, SmCo and AlNiCo, commonly used in motors and industrial applications. The semi-automated system will eliminate magnet-containing assemblies to improve material detection and processing efficiency.Rocklink India is also expanding its Magcycle reverse logistics model, previously deployed in Europe, to India. The system is designed to streamline the collection and movement of magnetic scrap into the appropriate recycling channels. The company is adopting a “know your material” approach, supported by in-house testing and grading systems to determine the best recycling routes. Materials unsuitable for direct recycling will be processed into rare earth chloride using a rotary kiln-based system at the facility. Rocklink India said it will work with technology firms, research institutes and government agencies to improve recycling processes and strengthen domestic supply chains for key raw materials.
