Bridge Green and Hartree Ink $1 Billion Lithium Recycling Pact

The agreement, which includes an equity investment by Hartree into Bridge Green’s latest financing round, arrives as the U.S. government intensifies efforts to bolster its critical mineral reserves. Hartree intends to leverage this supply to support its role in Project Vault, a $12 billion public-private initiative. With the U.S. currently reliant on imports for over half of its lithium needs, the deal aligns with recent federal regulations, including a Department of Commerce export ban on battery-recycling materials like black mass designed to keep essential minerals within the domestic supply chain.

Bridge Green’s founder and CEO, Balki Iyer, characterized the deal as a milestone for circular supply chain development. The company, which recently commissioned its Circularity Center in India, plans to use the new funding to establish integrated refining facilities in the U.S. and India. Hartree’s head of battery and critical minerals, Landon Berns, noted that securing domestic supply remains a core pillar of the firm's growth strategy. While the first volumes under the contract are not expected until 2028, the partnership provides a long-term framework for scaling production as both firms look to stabilize the volatile market for energy-transition materials.