Under the MOU, Aqua Metals and MOBY Robotics will collaborate to evaluate the technical and commercial feasibility of producing battery-grade materials from polymetallic deep-sea nodules. Aqua Metals plans to begin bench-scale testing later this year to adapt its process for this new feedstock.
The companies will also evaluate the potential to extract and refine rare earth elements (REEs) from the nodules. Integrating REE recovery into the AquaRefining platform would expand Aqua Metals’ role in building the domestic supply chain for batteries, magnets, and advanced manufacturing while reducing reliance on overseas processing.
This marks Aqua Metals’ second MOU focused on deep-sea minerals, furthering the company’s efforts to extend its proprietary AquaRefining process beyond lithium-ion battery recycling to new domestic sources of critical minerals.
“Deep-sea nodules represent a significant new opportunity to strengthen the US supply of critical minerals,” said Steve Cotton, President & CEO of Aqua Metals. “The collaboration underscores Aqua Metals’ leadership in sustainable refining and its role in building a resilient, independent US supply chain for critical minerals.”
Polymetallic nodules are rock-like deposits found on the ocean floor that contain essential metals used in electric vehicles, grid-scale batteries, data centers, and clean-energy technologies. The collaboration reinforces Aqua Metals’ vision of a feedstock-agnostic refining platform that supports a resilient and scalable US critical-minerals supply chain. As international demand for nickel, cobalt, and manganese surges, Aqua Metals is pioneering clean, domestic refining solutions that scale efficiently and compete globally.
“Aqua Metals has demonstrated a proven ability to cost-effectively extract battery-grade metals with near-zero waste,” said Alex Petersen, CEO and Co-Founder of MOBY Robotics. “We’re excited to collaborate on adapting their process to the unique challenges and opportunities of deep-sea nodules using our environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and autonomous robotic technologies.”
Aqua Metals views deep-sea nodules as an additional feedstock for its AquaRefining process, complementing lithium-ion recycling and supporting a more resilient US critical-minerals supply chain.
Together, these initiatives are expected to strengthen Aqua Metals’ position in the growing multi-billion-dollar critical minerals market. These milestones reinforce Aqua Metals’ position as a first mover in sustainable refining and battery metals recycling and serve as a catalyst for long-term shareholder value.