Hundreds of discarded batteries rattle along a conveyor belt into a crusher in a remote plant in northern India, fuelling a multi-billion-dollar industry that is bolstering the country’s geopolitical ambitions.
India is cashing in on the growing “e-waste” sector — pulling critical minerals like lithium and cobalt, which are needed to make everything from smartphones to fighter jets and electric cars, from everyday electronics.
Global jitters about China’s dominance as a critical minerals producer has kicked New Delhi into action, ramping up extraction of the materials that are essential for its drive to become an artificial intelligence hub.
With demand expected to soar and domestic mining unlikely to deliver meaningful output for at least a decade, the country is turning to an often‑overlooked source — the swelling mountains of electronic waste.
Dead batteries yield lithium, cobalt and nickel; LED screens contain germanium; circuit boards hold platinum and palladium; hard disks store rare earths — e‑waste has long been described as a “gold mine” for critical minerals.
India generated nearly 1.5 million tonnes of e‑waste last year, according to official data — enough to fill 200,000 garbage trucks — though experts believe the real figure is likely to be twice as much.
At Exigo Recycling’s sprawling plant in Haryana state, a machine churns the batteries from e-scooters into a jet-black powder.
The material is then leached into a wine‑red liquid, filtered, evaporated and finally transformed into a fine white powder — lithium.
“White gold,” said the facility’s lead scientist, watching the final product collect in trays.
Industry estimates suggest “urban mining” — the recovery of minerals from e‑waste — could be worth up to $6 billion annually.
Source: Insider Paper
