India’s Lohum starts up lithium refinery

Lohum Cleantech has announced the set up of India’s first battery-grade lithium refinery with a production capacity of 1,000 tonnes/year. The company currently refines over 90% of India’s lithium and is expanding operations to strengthen domestic supply chains. It is one of the largest refiners for lithium globally, outside of China.

Lohum is also developing production capabilities for Cathode Active Materials (CAM), which are used in lithium-ion battery manufacturing. The company anticipates becoming India’s largest direct consumer of lithium by 2030, aligning with a projected global demand of 1.5 million tonnes/year of lithium carbonate for battery production. To meet this demand, Lohum has established a global supply chain for spent lithium-ion battery sourcing and secured memorandums of understanding with mining sources.

The company reports lithium recovery rates exceeding 90%, higher than the industry average of 60-70%, and produces lithium with a purity of 99.8%, with plans to reach 99.99% purity through ongoing R&D efforts. Lohum’s refining process can handle a range of input materials, including used batteries, industrial waste, and mined intermediates.

In January 2025, China imposed restrictions on the export of lithium refining technology and equipment related to LFP battery production, where it holds over 95% of global capacity. The move has raised concerns about supply chain dependencies, with India aiming to strengthen its domestic refining capabilities in response.

Lohum operates eight facilities, including seven in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh—home to India’s largest lithium and cobalt refineries—and one in Gujarat. The company is developing two additional facilities in South India and expanding globally through joint ventures in the United States and Sharjah, with further expansion planned in the European Union.