By pairing Impossible Metals’ innovative approach to responsibly harvesting polymetallic nodules from the deep-sea floor with Aqua Metals’ proprietary AquaRefining™ platform, the collaboration seeks to establish a fully domestic and environmentally responsible supply chain for essential resources such as nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, and rare earth elements.
The partnership will explore:
- Strengthening the US supply chain resilience by developing sources of critical minerals independent of overseas control, particularly China.
- Applying breakthrough refining technology to process deep-sea nodules through Aqua Metals’ low-carbon, closed-loop AquaRefining process that minimizes waste and environmental impact.
- End-to-end solutions that span from resource collection in US waters to refining into high-purity metals at Aqua Metals’ facilities.
- Future opportunities to expand the scope of collaboration and contribute to a more stable global minerals market.
Impossible Metals has been at the forefront of shaping policy for responsible seabed mining in US federal waters and is advancing toward the commercial launch of Eureka III, its autonomous underwater robotics platform designed to collect nodules without disturbing visible life. Aqua Metals has already proven its ability to deliver battery-grade lithium, high-purity cobalt, and nickel from recycled black mass. The recycling company has recently expanded its development program to include alternative feedstocks, including nodules, refining residues, and ores, making it an ideal refining partner for Impossible Metals.
“This collaboration is a natural extension of our vision to create clean, scalable refining solutions that help secure America’s access to critical minerals,” said Steve Cotton, President and CEO of Aqua Metals. “By joining forces with Impossible Metals, we hope to bring a new domestic feedstock into the supply chain and ensure it is processed responsibly and sustainably here in the US.”
Oliver Gunasekara, CEO and Co-Founder of Impossible Metals, added, “We are committed to collecting resources in ways that respect the ocean ecosystem, and Aqua Metals shares our commitment to innovation with integrity. Together we seek to deliver the secure supply chain the US needs to lead in energy transition and advanced manufacturing.”
The MOU represents an important step toward building a resilient, transparent, and sustainable critical minerals infrastructure—one that strengthens America’s position in the global energy economy.