Bridge Green Upcycle, a US-based company specialising in recovering critical minerals from scrap lithium-ion batteries, has entered into a commercial agreement, valued at $0.5-$1 billion, with American commodities trading firm Hartree Partners.
Bridge Green operates a critical mineral recovery plant for lithium-ion batteries in Chennai, with a processing capacity of 7,200 tonnes per annum.
Under the partnership, Hartree will purchase and market approximately 10,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate produced by Bridge Green per year for an eight-year term.
The parties can renew the agreement for an additional seven years.
The agreement coincides with an equity investment by Hartree in Bridge Green’s bridge financing round, which aims to fund Bridge Green’s planned expansion of battery recycling and critical mineral refining.
“This agreement marks a defining milestone and a significant step towards developing a circular supply chain for Bridge Green. The scale and long-term commitment by Hartree, following a rigorous evaluation process, provide strong validation of our technology and business model,” said Balki Iyer, Bridge Green’s Founder & CEO.
The first lithium carbonate volumes under the agreement are projected in 2028.
“Critical minerals are a key pillar of Hartree’s growth strategy, and securing a domestic supply while returning recovered materials to productive use are core components of our approach,” said Landon Berns, Hartree’s Head of Battery and Critical Minerals.
In February, the US government announced Project Vault, a proposed $12 billion public-private Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve with Hartree selected as a supplier.
Published on September 22, 2026
