Reno, Nev., June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Battery Technology Company (NASDAQ: ABAT), an integrated critical battery materials company that is commercializing its technologies for both primary battery minerals manufacturing and secondary minerals lithium-ion battery recycling, was honored with the “Outstanding Contribution to Recycling & Reuse in Battery Materials” award at the annual industry Fastmarkets Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials Voltas Awards Celebration.

The Voltas Awards recognize visionaries reshaping global battery raw materials supply chains. From cutting-edge technologies to forward-thinking sustainability initiatives, the achievements celebrated bold contributions to building a resilient and responsible energy future. This award, which judged American Battery Technology Company's (ABTC) battery recycling competitiveness against 20 global industry peers, underscores the impact and relevance of ABTC’s internally developed advancements in battery recycling technology, domestic-US critical mineral manufacturing, and its commitment to strengthening the nation's economic resilience and energy security.

"We are proud and humbled that after this elite group of industry judges evaluated these 20 global battery recycling finalists, they chose ABTC as the winner of this prestigious award,” shared Ryan Melsert, CEO of American Battery Technology Company. “This award is a testament to the dedication and contributions of all of our stakeholders, and on behalf of the company I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to our partners, whose vision and support have driven these efforts forward, to our long-term shareholders, whose trust and commitment have been instrumental to our growth, and to the employees of ABTC, whose innovation, passion, and hard work make achievements like this possible."

Bolstering supply chain durability and energy security, in less than two years, ABTC has achieved significant milestones, developing innovative recycling technologies, launching commercial operations, and selling recycled battery materials processed at its first lithium-ion battery recycling facility. This facility operates using an internally-developed "de-manufacturing" process paired with targeted hydrometallurgy to strategically extract high-purity battery grade critical minerals. This closed-loop system minimizes waste, reduces water consumption, and significantly limits air pollution and emissions, setting a new benchmark for sustainable recycling practices.
The recycling operation involves two key phases. During the initial demanufacturing phase, battery components are processed into valuable products, including copper, aluminum, steel, a lithium intermediate, and a black mass intermediate material. The second hydrometallurgical phase further refines these intermediates. The lithium intermediate is processed into battery-grade lithium hydroxide, while the black mass intermediate is transformed into battery-grade nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium hydroxide products.

This single-facility process eliminates the inefficiencies of producing and transporting inconsistent intermediary materials, such as black mass, to offsite locations. Instead, ABTC’s recycling technologies optimize recovery rates, including lithium extraction during the mechanical phase, and reduces operating costs by strategically removing impurities upfront in its demanufacturing processes instead of through chemical agent intensive downstream separation processes.  Having both its mechanical and hydrometallurgical recycling trains in a single facility, the company ensures reactive materials remain securely contained within closed-loop systems throughout the operation.

ABTC is advancing its recycling capabilities and with the support of its stakeholders has already initiated the construction design of its second state-of-the-art recycling facility. Designed to process an impressive 100,000 tonnes annually, this next-generation site will increase ABTC’s recycling capacity by fivefold. This expansion, supported by a $144 million investment from the U.S. Department of Energy, represents a major step forward in scaling sustainable recycling solutions.

Central to ABTC's progress is a team of seasoned professionals, many with experience from Tesla’s first Gigafactory. ABTC also partners with local universities to nurture workforce development, preparing the next generation of engineers and scientists through internships and hands-on collaborations. These initiatives have created specialized jobs in northern Nevada, bolstering the local economy and strengthening expertise in critical mineral manufacturing and recycling.

Additionally, ABTC collaborates with leading organizations such as the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) and BASF to recycle metals into cathode materials that are reintegrated into new battery cells. This approach closes the loop on battery production, positioning ABTC as one of the few U.S.-based companies that can manage the entire process of material production, refinement, and recycling domestically with its partners.

About American Battery Technology Company
American Battery Technology Company (ABTC), headquartered in Reno, Nevada, has pioneered first-of-kind technologies to unlock domestically manufactured and recycled battery metals critically needed to help meet the significant demand from the electric vehicle, stationary storage, and consumer electronics industries.  Committed to a circular supply chain for battery metals, ABTC works to continually innovate and master new battery metals technologies that power a global transition to electrification and the future of sustainable energy.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are “forward-looking statements.” Although the American Battery Technology Company’s (the “Company”) management believes that such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that such expectations are, or will be, correct. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company’s future results to differ materially from those anticipated. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks and uncertainties related to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern; general economic conditions and conditions affecting the industries in which the Company operates; the uncertainty of regulatory requirements and approvals; fluctuating mineral and commodity prices. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2024. The Company assumes no obligation to update any of the information contained or referenced in this press release.

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