Ningde — Fujian Refining Base
Ningde, Fujian facility: hydrometallurgical refinery converting black mass into battery-grade lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese salts. Rated at 48,000 tonnes per annum and operating since 2018.
Annual capacity
48,000 TPA
Operating lines
3
Cities collected
4
In operation since
2018
About the Ningde, Fujian facility
Ningde in Fujian is home to one of the world's largest battery cell manufacturing complexes, and the surrounding area has grown into a major battery industry centre. The refining base opened on Xingang Road in 2018, close to Ningde's port facilities, to refine the scrap and black mass that this concentration of manufacturing produces. Its feed comes mainly from nearby production.
At 48,000 TPA, it is the network's largest refinery. It processes black mass and cell production scrap and supplies battery-grade salts to Asian manufacturers, benefiting from short transport distances to both its feed sources and its customers. Every output batch carries an analysis certificate, and imported feed must meet China's import rules before it can be accepted, so eligibility is confirmed well before any shipment leaves its origin.
What arrives at the gate
What sets this site apart
Largest refinery
48,000 TPA of refining capacity.
Battery industry centre
Close to major cell manufacturing operations.
Asian supply
Supplies refined salts to regional producers.
What happens to material here
- 1
Feed assay & sampling
Incoming black mass is homogenised and assayed by ICP-OES for Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Cu, Al and fluoride before it is released to leach.
- 2
Sulphuric acid leaching
Two-stage leach at 60–85 °C with peroxide reductant dissolves cathode metals at 96–99% extraction efficiency.
- 3
Impurity removal
Iron, aluminium and copper are precipitated and filtered; graphite is recovered as a separate low-ash cake.
- 4
Solvent extraction trains
Sequential Co, Ni and Mn circuits with counter-current mixer-settlers deliver individual metal raffinates.
- 5
Crystallisation & drying
Nickel and cobalt sulphate hexahydrate plus lithium carbonate are crystallised to 99.5%+ battery grade and bagged under nitrogen.
- 6
Batch certification
Every batch ships with a certificate of analysis, mass balance and chain-of-custody record for EPR and IRA reporting.
Where material goes next
| Role | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Cell Grading & Diagnostics | Yokohama — Kanagawa Diagnostics Works | 2,142 km |
| Second-Life BESS Works | Gothenburg — Nordic Second-Life Campus | 8,495 km |
| Integrated Recovery Campus | Ulsan — Korea Recovery Campus | 1,354 km |
Local rules
MIIT management measures for new energy vehicle power battery recycling · Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)
The base operates under Chinese environmental permitting and national rules for recycling new energy vehicle batteries, including traceability requirements. Imports are subject to Chinese customs controls and solid waste import restrictions.
Before you book into Ningde, Fujian
- Only black mass and scrap are accepted.
- Import eligibility must be confirmed before shipment.
- Bulk bags must be sealed and labelled.
- Settlement follows assay at intake.
Damaged or defective packs are handled under a separate quarantine protocol — flag them in the form and the team calls you back the same day.
Ningde, Fujian site: common questions
Can black mass be imported to Ningde?
Only if it meets Chinese import rules, so eligibility must be checked before shipment.
What does Ningde refine?
Black mass and production scrap, refined into battery-grade salts.
What are the opening hours at Ningde, Fujian?
Monday to Friday 08:00 – 20:00, Saturday 08:00 – 16:00. Sunday: emergency and damaged-pack intake only, by prior booking.
How do I book a collection into Ningde, Fujian?
Use the booking button on this page with pack counts, chemistry and condition. The despatch desk confirms a window within one working day and ships UN-approved packaging before collection.