Meerut to Get ₹200 Cr Battery Recycling and Rare Earth Refinery

Circulogy Cleantech plans to invest ₹200 crore in a critical minerals and rare earth refinery in Meerut. The facility aims to process 10,000 tonnes annually and create 1,300 direct and indirect jobs.

Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut is set to attract an investment of approximately ₹200 crore for a lithium-ion battery recycling and rare earth refinery, with the proposed project expected to generate around 1,300 employment opportunities. Deep-tech startup Circulogy Cleantech Private Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Invest UP to establish the facility, strengthening the state’s efforts to develop technology-driven industries and domestic critical mineral supply chains.

The proposed refinery will be developed in phases and is designed to process up to 10,000 tonnes of material annually once it reaches full capacity. The project is expected to create approximately 300 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect employment opportunities, supporting industrial development in Meerut and surrounding areas.

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The facility will recover valuable minerals, including lithium, cobalt and nickel, from used lithium-ion batteries. It will also extract rare earth elements such as neodymium, dysprosium and terbium from discarded permanent magnets found in electronic devices, hard drives and electric vehicle motors. These materials are essential for several industries, including electric vehicles, renewable energy, electronics and defence.

India relies heavily on imports for several critical minerals and rare earth materials. Establishing domestic recycling and refining capabilities could help reduce this dependence, improve resource utilisation and strengthen supply chain resilience. Recovering materials from used batteries and electronic equipment can also support a circular economy by returning valuable resources to industrial use instead of allowing them to become waste.

The project aligns with the central government’s efforts to strengthen domestic critical mineral capabilities through initiatives such as the National Critical Minerals Mission. The government has also introduced measures to encourage critical mineral recycling and domestic manufacturing of rare earth permanent magnets.

Under the MoU, the Uttar Pradesh government will facilitate the required approvals and clearances and help the company access eligible central and state government incentive schemes, subject to applicable rules. UP Startup Mission CEO Sumit Mahajan said the state was working to connect local entrepreneurs and technology-based startups with larger industrial investment opportunities. Circulogy is a Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)-recognised startup focused on resource recovery and reuse.

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The proposed investment could expand Meerut’s industrial base beyond traditional manufacturing and create opportunities in critical mineral recycling, advanced materials and resource recovery. Its long-term contribution will depend on phased implementation, operational capacity and the development of reliable collection and processing networks for used batteries and electronic waste.