Environment
The Hindu BusinessLine — Economy · 11 NovConsider the following statements regarding the circular economy for batteries and the recovery of critical minerals from lithium-ion battery waste (black mass):
Statements
- Black mass, obtained by shredding and processing used lithium-ion batteries, is a source of secondary critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite that can be recovered and reused in new battery manufacturing.
- In a circular economy framework for batteries, black mass functions as a primary raw material source, since the minerals it contains are chemically identical in composition and concentration to those extracted from virgin ore deposits.
- Restricting the export of battery black mass is a supply-side intervention aimed at ensuring that domestically generated secondary mineral-rich waste is processed within the country, thereby reducing dependence on virgin critical mineral imports for battery and energy storage industries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?