DEScycle, Mitsubishi partner to advance e-waste metal recycling in Japan

UK-based deep-tech company DEScycle has partnered with Mitsubishi Corporation on developing business opportunities focused on the recovery and processing of metals from electronic waste for the Japanese market.

As electrification, AI and advanced manufacturing drive increasing demand for critical and strategic minerals, the need to expand capital-efficient metals recovery capacity has become increasingly urgent.

DEScycle’s proprietary ionometallurgy platform, based on deep eutectic solvent chemistry, enables the scaling of new metals recovery infrastructure without the billion-dollar price tag of the incumbent technology.

According to the company, its technology is capital-light with significantly lower energy consumption and environmental impact compared to conventional smelting methods. By treating e-scrap as a secondary resource, the platform supports sustainable resource circulation and strengthens domestic metals supply, it said.

DEScycle is currently constructing a demonstration plant in the UK, which is intended to inform future repeatable deployments as it scales its platform. The facility is supported by funding from Mitsubishi.

By combining DEScycle’s proprietary metals processing platform with Mitsubishi’s industry network, operational and trading capabilities, and market expertise, the latest collaboration aims to advance innovation in e-waste recycling and support the growth of the circular economy in Japan.

Mitsubishi will leverage its global trading platform and broad customer relationships to support marketing activities for critical and precious metals recovered using DEScycle’s technology, the companies said.

The Japanese group will also apply its investment expertise to explore opportunities for business expansion and future growth.

“Partnering with Mitsubishi enables us to explore opportunities to deploy our platform in Japan, which is known for being a global leader in e-waste recycling,” DEScycle chief commercial officer Fred White said in a news release.

“Alongside the UK and Japan, we aim to expand into the US and Europe, replicating this model through distributed, repeatable deployments, capturing above-ground resources of critical materials and unlocking sovereign supply chains.”