India, Nov. 12 -- India's November 10th 2026 export ban on lithium-ion battery black mass aims to retain valuable secondary critical minerals and strengthen domestic recycling.

Black mass contains recoverable lithium, cobalt, nickel and other materials that could supplement India's primary mineral supplies.

The restriction seeks to address a mismatch in which domestic recyclers have faced feedstock shortages even as locally generated black mass was exported.

Retaining black mass is only the first step. Converting it into battery-grade materials requires investment in advanced processing, refining and purification.

Effective battery collection, traceability and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanisms will be essential to ensu...