Xerion Achieves Breakthrough Single-Step, High-Purity Cobalt Metal Refinement, Launches Ohio Pilot Production Line

Xerion Advanced Battery Corp. has developed a new molten salt electrolysis technology which creates a one-step metal refining technique from impure mined raw materials and select recycling streams

With the launch of a pilot-scale production line capable of producing 99% purity refined cobalt metal, Xerion is poised to dramatically reshape domestic critical material supply chains

DAYTON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Xerion Advanced Battery Corp., a disruptive developer and manufacturer of next-generation battery components and critical minerals, today announced a revolutionary breakthrough in cobalt refinement, as well as the launch of a pilot-scale production line at its Dayton, Ohio manufacturing facility. Xerion’s revolutionary cobalt refinement technology represents a transformational innovation in metal refinement and is poised to fundamentally reshape the United States' approach to securing essential battery materials and critical minerals.

Xerion’s proprietary DirectPlate™ Molten Salt Electrolysis (MSE) technology, originally developed for the refining and synthesis of battery components, introduces a single-step, continuous process that dramatically reduces the complexity and cost of cobalt refinement. This process offers significant advantages over legacy refinement methods relative to unit economics, supply chain security, and environmental impact. The company has begun pilot-scale production at its five-tonne capacity Dayton, Ohio facility, where it is working to optimize processes ahead of planned future expansions to support commercial-scale production.

Unlike existing methods that require multiple plants and extensive processing, Xerion’s innovative DirectPlate Molten Salt Electrolysis (MSE) approach can transform crude cobalt hydroxide directly into high-purity cobalt metal with unprecedented efficiency. In a lab-unit testing environment, Xerion has consistently achieved greater than 99% pure cobalt metal output with greater than 98% yields, producing over 100 kilos, representing an unprecedented advancement over legacy refinement methods.

"Our technology is not just an incremental improvement – it's a fundamental reimagining of how we produce critical minerals," said Dr. John Busbee, CEO and Co-Founder of Xerion. "At Xerion we are passionate about the advancement of a domestic battery materials supply chain, and we are proud to be addressing a critical national security challenge by presenting a solution that can significantly reduce our dependence on foreign mineral supplies.”

Critical minerals are essential to the US economy and national security, yet the US relies on convoluted supply chains for many of the key minerals it needs for defense and commercial applications. Today, the US possesses zero domestic cobalt refinement capacity, while China is responsible for 72% of global refinement capacity, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). With global cobalt demand expected to grow from 240,000 tonnes in 2024 to between 410,000 and 520,000 tonnes by 2050, Xerion is positioning itself at the forefront of a critical industry transformation. This breakthrough technology comes at a crucial moment, as the United States seeks to reduce reliance on foreign mineral suppliers.

In addition to economic and supply chain advantages, Xerion’s DirectPlate MSE technique for cobalt metal refinement offers significant environmental benefits as compared to legacy refinement methods. This process involves inherently safe low-temperature processing, drastically reducing electricity requirements as compared to conventional refinement methods while minimizing permitting risk for commercial infrastructure development. Xerion’s DirectPlate MSE technique also features a closed-loop rinse system, delivering significant water use advantages, in addition to requiring zero organic solvents, resulting in a highly attractive emissions profile.

Xerion has spent more than a decade developing its novel lithium-ion battery technology, using a proprietary production process and a novel new battery architecture to significantly reduce the cost of high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Xerion’s revolutionary manufacturing platform is founded upon two patented core technologies – DirectPlate™, an innovative refining and deposition technique, and StructurePore™, a novel battery electrode architecture.

These core technologies combined deliver a dramatically lower-cost lithium-ion battery with higher energy density, higher power, faster charge, longer life, improved safety and 40% lower carbon emissions than conventional battery manufacturing.

About Xerion Advanced Battery Corp.
Founded in 2010, Xerion Advanced Battery Corp. is a developer and manufacturer of next-generation battery components and critical minerals with a vision to revolutionize the energy industry through disruptive innovations. Xerion's proprietary technologies, including its DirectPlate™ critical metals refining and deposition technique and StructurePore™ battery electrode architecture, enable step-change performance improvements in lithium-ion batteries while strengthening domestic critical materials supply chains. Through these core technologies, Xerion delivers solutions that address national security challenges while providing fundamental improvements across the battery supply chain, from mineral refinement through to end-user applications, with enhanced performance and reduced environmental impact.