American Battery Technology Company (ABAT) announced on October 1, 2026, that it has secured approval from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), for a license to export recycled black mass material. The license permits the company to sell up to $100 million worth of these materials under specified terms, following the implementation of new federal export controls governing critical battery materials.
The company stated that this Defense Priorities and Allocation System (DPAS) license supports its commercial operations and strengthens its market position within the critical minerals value chain. ABTC operates a commercial-scale critical mineral recycling facility near Reno, Nevada, which processes end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap. The facility began commercial operations in 2023 and utilizes the company's internally developed battery recycling technologies to recover copper, aluminum, steel, lithium-rich intermediates, and black mass.
Black mass contains valuable critical minerals, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite, which can be further refined and returned to the supply chain for new product manufacturing. The company highlighted that this license allows it to continue supporting the development of a North American closed-loop circular economy and expanding domestic critical mineral production.
In the press release, CEO Ryan Melsert noted that the approval supports the company's strategy of building a domestically integrated critical minerals platform. He referenced the company's fiscal year 2026 financial results, which demonstrated over 400% year-over-year revenue growth. Additionally, the company is advancing a second recycling facility supported by $150 million in competitive grants from the U.S. Department of Energy.
