New York – September 21, 2026 -- Hartree Partners has agreed to purchase and market approximately 10,000 metric tons per year of lithium carbonate from Bridge Green Upcycle under an eight-year commercial agreement valued at an estimated $500 million to $1 billion at current market conditions.
Hartree secures exclusive marketing rights across all lithium carbonate grades produced at Bridge Green facilities
The agreement grants Hartree exclusive marketing rights for lithium carbonate produced by Bridge Green during the initial term, with an option to renew for an additional seven years. Hartree also made an equity investment in Bridge Green's bridge financing round, funding the company's planned expansion of battery recycling and critical-mineral refining. First lithium carbonate volumes under the agreement are projected for 2028.
Bridge Green CEO calls the deal validation following a rigorous evaluation process
Bridge Green Founder and CEO Balki Iyer said the agreement and Hartree's long-term commitment followed a rigorous evaluation process, calling it strong validation of the company's technology and business model. Hartree's Head of Battery and Critical Minerals, Landon Berns, said critical minerals are a key pillar of Hartree's growth strategy, with securing domestic supply and returning recovered materials to productive use central to its approach.
U.S. remains import-reliant for more than half of its lithium supply, per USGS data
The U.S. Geological Survey's 2026 data shows the country remains import-reliant for more than 50% of its lithium supply. In February, the U.S. government announced Project Vault, a proposed $12 billion public-private Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve, selecting Hartree as a supplier; the Bridge Green marketing agreement forms part of that supply portfolio. On August 27, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security enacted a one-year export ban on battery-recycling material, including black mass, requiring recyclers to allocate monthly volumes to U.S.-based counterparties to retain critical minerals within domestic supply chains.
Bridge Green's India facility already runs at 7,200-ton annual capacity
Bridge Green commissioned its Circularity Center India in the second quarter of 2026, with nameplate capacity of approximately 7,200 metric tons per year of lithium-ion battery input. Proceeds from Bridge Green's upcoming Series A round are intended to fund fully integrated commercial refining facilities in the U.S. and India, with Hartree serving as the downstream marketing channel as those plants come online.