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Govt bans lithium-ion battery black mass exports to strengthen domestic recycling
Nov-12-2026

The Commerce Ministry has said that the government has banned exports of lithium-ion battery black mass to strengthen domestic recycling and recover critical minerals. Black mass is a powdery material obtained from shredding end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and battery manufacturing waste. It contains recoverable quantities of critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese.

The Ministry stated ‘DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) prohibits export of Lithium-Ion Battery Black Mass to strengthen domestic recycling and critical mineral recovery.’ The DGFT issued a notification in this regard on November 10. It said the export ban aims to ensure that black mass produced in India is recycled and refined domestically.

The measure is expected to assure feedstock availability for domestic recycling and refining units, improve their capacity utilisation and encourage further investment and employment in the sector. The move will increase domestic recovery of lithium, cobalt, nickel and other critical minerals, thereby reducing import dependence and associated foreign exchange outflows. Moreover, the move will strengthen supply chains for battery manufacturing, electric vehicles, energy storage and clean-energy technologies, in line with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. 

Further, the measure will advance the circular economy and 'urban mining', reducing reliance on primary mining while supporting environmentally sound recycling of this hazardous material within the country in accordance with applicable environmental regulations. The measure complements the government's initiatives under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), including the Rs 1,500 crore incentive scheme.


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