08-19-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

U.S. critical mineral strategy depends on battery recycling

Recycling, not mining alone, is America’s path to critical mineral independence.

[Photo: Getty Images]

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The current global race isn’t just about making batteries; it’s about who controls the critical minerals inside of them. As demand for batteries—from data centers, defense, transportation, consumer devices, and energy storage—and the valuable lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese inside them continues to grow, the United States is at a pivotal point.

By taking a holistic approach to localizing our supply chains, we can reduce our dependency on countries like China, strengthen our national security, and build energy security. Otherwise, we will be subject to geopolitical disruptions, continue to rely on foreign entities of concern, and lose out on valuable resources that can drive this economy forward.

The United States will not achieve critical mineral independence in a silo or through mining alone. Several factors must work together: domestic recycling, processing, and refinement, strategic partnerships with allied nations, and policies that support resource security. By recycling and recovering these critical minerals, we will reduce our dependence on imports, secure our supply chains, and lower the cost of consumer goods that use batteries.

China controls the battery market

China has invested billions of dollars into its battery industry to support electric vehicle (EV) adoption. This includes refining, manufacturing, and recycling the critical minerals needed to........

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