TDK Ventures Backs R3 Lithium to Boost US Lithium Carbonate Supply

TDK Ventures Invests in R3 Lithium to Accelerate US Domestic Supply of Lithium Carbonate

TDK Ventures invests in R3 Lithium, a Covington, Georgia-based company specializing in lithium carbonate recovery from recycled battery materials.
− R3 Lithium’s focus on lithium carbonate is designed to address supply reliability challenges in critical mineral supply chains.
− The partnership aims to provide access to expertise from TDK Ventures and explore technical collaboration with R3 Lithium.

SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) has announced that its corporate venture capital arm, TDK Ventures, Inc., has invested in R3 Lithium, welcoming the company as the 55th addition to its global portfolio. The investment is part of R3 Lithium’s oversubscribed $15 million Series A funding round alongside co-investors Integral GlobalTech Partners, Axial Partners and others.

R3 Lithium owns and is upgrading a commercial-scale lithium carbonate recovery facility in Covington, Georgia, where the team demonstrated production of recycled lithium carbonate in 2025, before R3 Lithium’s acquisition. The 154,000-square-foot plant is designed to use a calciner-based crystallization and water-based precipitation process to extract and refine lithium carbonate directly from recycled black mass, without requiring primary mining or overseas refining for that process. R3 Lithium is targeting continuous commercial production in 2027.

A Disciplined, Lithium-First Sequence

R3 Lithium’s operational thesis addresses a key challenge in critical mineral supply chains: converting commercial-scale proof into dependable, continuous supply. Rather than targeting multi-material recovery simultaneously, R3 Lithium focuses on a single primary output—lithium carbonate.

Key highlights of the operation include:

− Commercial-Scale Baseline: The Covington facility holds 30,000 metric tons of shredding capacity and a 2,500-metric-ton lithium carbonate recovery line, with physical space allocated to double capacity.
− Single-Site Integration: Feedstock shredding through refining will occur in one location, yielding multiple revenue streams by producing lithium carbonate while selling remaining concentrated metal oxides (CMO).
− Commercial Traction: R3 Lithium holds long-term offtake agreements with counterparties including Trafigura, with an estimated aggregate potential value of approximately $1 billion over their full terms, based on pricing and volume assumptions.

Preserving Lessons, Resetting Capital Strategy

Having previously invested in the technology’s initial development under Battery Resourcers / Ascend Elements, TDK Ventures’ investment follows a diligence process evaluating R3 Lithium’s restructured approach.

Nicolas Sauvage, President of TDK Ventures, said:

R3 Lithium brings together an experienced team, demonstrated lithium recovery at commercial scale, and a clear focus on building dependable domestic supply,

“We believe this team can help make recycled batteries an important source of America’s critical minerals. Our ambition is to support that journey with more than capital, connecting R3 Lithium with relevant expertise across TDK as it turns demonstrated capability into reliable industrial production.”

Linh Austin, President and CEO of R3 Lithium, said:

Strengthening domestic lithium recovery and refining is essential to building a more reliable U.S. battery supply chain,

“R3 Lithium is setting a new pace for domestic supply with a proven facility that has already demonstrated production at scale, paired with the focused capital model needed to reach continuous commercial operations.”

Corporate Synergy and Strategic Support

TDK Ventures will support R3 Lithium by connecting the company with relevant experts across energy, materials, and industrial transformation. TDK Ventures will also explore technical collaborations with TDK Corporation business units specializing in process control, power systems, sensing, and manufacturing quality.

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TDK Ventures Invests in R3 Lithium to Accelerate US Domestic Supply of Lithium Carbonate, source