Rocklink India Opens Critical Materials Recycling Plant in Uttar Pradesh

Rocklink India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Germany-based Rocklink Group, has commissioned an integrated recycling facility at the UPSIDC Industrial Area in Sikandrabad, Uttar Pradesh, targeting the recovery of materials from lithium-ion batteries, rare earth magnets, and metal-bearing industrial waste.

The plant begins operations with an annual lithium-ion battery recycling capacity of 10,000 tonnes, alongside rare earth magnet processing of 60 tonnes per month. A rare earth chloride processing line with a production capacity of 1,500 tonnes per year is expected to be completed by the end of Q1 2026.

The facility's EPR-registered battery recycling plant is designed to handle 95 distinct types of pre- and post-consumer battery scrap. Rocklink's proprietary R2 technology processes battery materials into recoverable components including aluminium, copper, and iron at over 98 percent efficiency, while capturing hazardous volatile organic compounds through an enclosed waste gas treatment system.

Commenting on the development, Leonard Alexander Ansorge, Director of Rocklink India Pvt. Ltd., said: "We aim to support the development of a circular ecosystem for critical raw materials that are essential to electric mobility, renewable energy systems, and advanced manufacturing."

On the rare earth side, the facility includes semi-automated dismantling lines for permanent magnet alloys such as NdFeB, SmCo, and AlNiCo, materials widely used in electric motors and industrial generators. The company also plans to extend its Magcycle™ reverse logistics model, active in European markets since 2018, to the Indian market to structure the collection and routing of magnet scrap.

Rocklink India follows a "Know Your Material" methodology, using in-house laboratory testing to assess elemental composition and oxidation levels before determining the appropriate recycling pathway. Materials not suitable for direct recycling are directed to a 22-metre rotary kiln for calcination into rare earth chlorides.

The company says it intends to integrate battery refurbishment operations into the facility over time, enabling the reuse of viable battery cells through standardised testing and pack manufacturing processes. Collaborations with technology startups, research institutions, and government stakeholders are also planned to improve dismantling automation and material recovery rates.