Govt bans export of lithium-ion battery black mass with immediate effect

New Delhi: The Central government has prohibited the export of lithium-ion battery black mass, a recyclable material recovered from used batteries, with immediate effect.

In a notification issued on Tuesday, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) amended the export policy for unsorted waste and scrap of primary cells, batteries and electric accumulators that do not contain lead, cadmium or mercury.

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The export classification has been changed from 'Free' to 'Prohibited', with the restriction remaining in force until further orders.

The prohibition covers unsorted waste and scrap of primary cells, primary batteries and electric accumulators, including spent batteries, falling under the specified category.

Lithium-ion battery black mass is a material obtained during battery recycling and can contain valuable metals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese, depending on the battery chemistry.

The restriction could help retain recyclable battery materials within India, supporting domestic recovery of critical minerals and the development of the country's battery recycling ecosystem.

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The move comes as India seeks to strengthen its domestic supply chain for critical minerals used in electric vehicles, energy storage systems and other clean-energy technologies.

However, the DGFT notification does not specify the policy rationale, and its precise scope is limited to the products covered by the notified export classification.

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