Battery Boom: American Battery Technology Surges on Recycling Deal & $900M Lithium Loan

Battery Boom: American Battery Technology Surges on Recycling Deal & $900M Lithium Loan

  • Stock Spike: ABTC’s Nasdaq-listed stock (ABAT) jumped sharply in early trading Oct 13, 2025 – trading around $9 (up ~34%) from ~$6.75 just a few days earlier [1] [2]. This follows a +8% gain on Oct 12 amid positive news and strong volume [3].
  • Recycling Partnership: ABTC announced a landmark partnership with Call2Recycle (the U.S. consumer battery recycling program) to collect and process end-of-life lithium-ion batteries nationwide [4]. This expands ABTC’s model from B2B into a direct-to-consumer recycling channel, helping keep valuable minerals (Li, Co, Ni, Mn) in the U.S. supply chain [5] [6]. CEO Ryan Melsert called it “a pivotal moment for ABTC,” enabling “a seamless and accessible pathway for the public to recycle their batteries” and bolstering domestic critical-mineral supplies [7]. Call2Recycle CEO Leo Raudys added the deal is “a powerful force” for consumer convenience and a circular battery economy [8].
  • Lithium Mine Progress: On Oct 13, ABTC announced completion of all required NEPA baseline studies for its Tonopah Flats Lithium Project (a major US lithium claystone deposit) [9]. This key milestone unlocks the federal permitting phase. Tonopah Flats spans ~10,340 acres with an inferred resource of ~21.15 million tons of lithium hydroxide [10], and uses ABTC’s low-cost proprietary selective leach extraction (SLE) process. The project was upgraded in 2025 to a “FAST-41 Covered Priority Project,” expediting reviews and reflecting priority national importance [11]. The US Export-Import Bank even issued a $900 million Letter of Interest for a low-interest loan to expand this mine-and-refinery [12]. (This dovetails with a White House executive order to fast-track domestic mineral projects.) ABTC’s CEO praised the milestone and US support, noting the work was “a testament to our commitment to responsible development of this critical mineral resource” [13].
  • Financial Surge: ABTC’s recent earnings show explosive growth (albeit from a small base). FY2025 revenue surged 1,149% YoY to $4.3M (versus $0.3M in FY2024), and Q4 2025 revenue tripled to $2.8M sequentially [14]. Operating costs were contained (down 30% vs prior year), narrowing the quarterly loss. The quarter also featured major grants: a $144M DOE grant for a second recycling plant and a $2.3M DOE grant for a pilot lithium project [15]. Such milestones helped ABTC narrow its Q4 loss by 71.5% and caused the stock to jump post-earnings [16] [17].
  • Industry Context: The news comes amid a global EV/battery boom. Worldwide EV sales hit 7.2 million units Jan–May 2025 (up 28% YoY), and agencies project over 20 million EVs sold in 2025 [18] [19]. This unprecedented demand makes battery metals and recycling strategic priorities. Indeed, regulators are mandating recycled-content targets: the EU’s new Battery Regulation will require, for example, 16% cobalt and 6% lithium in new batteries by 2030, plus battery “passports” for traceability [20] [21]. Industry experts note that robust recycling is vital to mitigate raw material shortages and cut environmental impact [22]. Meanwhile, governments and automakers are pouring huge funds into domestic battery supply chains (e.g. UK’s £1B gigafactory deal, US DOE/ARPA-E energy storage grants) [23] [24]. ABTC is positioned at this nexus of EV growth, critical minerals, and sustainability.
  • Index Inclusion: Reflecting its growth, ABTC was recently added to the Russell 3000/2000 indexes (effective June 27, 2025) [25]. CEO Melsert said this “highlights the meaningful progress” in ABTC’s strategy of scaling US critical-mineral production for energy security [26].
  • Expert Analyses: Observers are cautiously optimistic. Technical analysis finds support at ~$6–6.50 and resistance near $7–7.50 [27] [28]. On Oct 12 ABAT decisively cleared these levels, suggesting strong momentum. StocksToTrade noted the company’s metrics (e.g. gross margins are still negative) signal a long path to profitability, but current milestones (recycling, lithium, funding) have “catalyzed” investor interest [29] [30]. As one expert put it, a “good trade setup” requires trend, volume and catalysts – ABAT’s latest news delivers all three [31].

Company Profile & Strategy

American Battery Technology Company (NASDAQ: ABAT, ticker often ABAT) is a Reno, Nevada-based “critical battery materials” company [32] [33]. It pioneers a full lifecycle approach to lithium-ion batteries: mining domestic mineral deposits (like Tonopah Flats) and recycling spent batteries for lithium, cobalt, nickel, etc. ABTC’s mission statement emphasizes innovation in “first-of-kind technologies” to produce and recycle battery metals domestically, reducing US reliance on foreign sources [34]. Key to this is ABTC’s proprietary processing: for example its Tonopah Flats project will use a selective leach extraction (SLE) method to turn claystone directly into battery-grade lithium hydroxide, which is more efficient than traditional sulfuric-acid roasting. ABTC also operates its first commercial recycling facility in Reno, and plans more plants to scale up a closed-loop cycle for used EV batteries.

Call2Recycle Partnership Expands Recycling Reach

On Sept 30, 2025 ABTC announced the Call2Recycle alliance, a major step into consumer battery collection [35]. Call2Recycle has thousands of drop-off sites nationwide; under the deal, batteries from consumers will be routed to ABTC’s Reno refineries. ABTC’s closed-loop process then recovers 90%+ of valuable materials (lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese) for reuse. CEO Ryan Melsert emphasized that “by creating a seamless and accessible pathway for the public to recycle their batteries, we are … reinforcing the domestic supply chain for critical minerals, which is essential for a sustainable energy future.” [36] Call2Recycle’s Leo Raudys added that combining their collection network with ABTC’s “cutting-edge recycling process” creates a solution benefiting “consumers, the environment and the U.S. economy” [37]. In effect, the partnership makes ABTC a direct link in consumer battery recycling – a fast-growing sector as households own more EVs and electronics. Recycling Today notes this expands ABTC beyond B2B into a broad circular economy model [38].

Tonopah Flats Lithium Project: Permitting Advances

ABTC’s Tonopah Flats project in Nevada is a cornerstone of its strategy to supply “battery-grade lithium” from US soil. On Oct 13, 2025 the company announced it completed all 21 required baseline environmental studies for Tonopah Flats [39]. This huge effort (over two years with many consultants) was a prerequisite under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to move into formal permitting. With this step done, Tonopah Flats advances under FAST-41 (a federal permit-acceleration program); it’s now a “Covered Project” slated for expedited review [40]. The site spans 10,340 acres with an estimated 21.15 million tons of lithium hydroxide accessible [41]. The Nov 2025 release notes Tonopah Flats is one of the largest US lithium projects. These milestones also unlocked major financial support: ABTC received a $900 million letter of interest from U.S. Export-Import Bank for a low-cost loan to expand the mine and refinery [42]. (In context, this ties into a 2025 Executive Order to boost American mineral production.)

Financial Results & Stock Performance

ABTC’s recent earnings reflect growth on a base level. For FY2025 the company reported $4.3 million in revenue (up 1,149% YoY) [43]. Crucially, Q4 FY2025 revenue tripled vs Q3 (from ~$0.9M to $2.8M) [44], thanks largely to expanded recycling volume and initial lithium sales/partnerships. Cost control also improved: operating expenses fell ~30% year-on-year, helping to cut net losses. The improved financials, coupled with news (recycling tie-up, DOE grants etc.), sent ABTC’s stock rallying. On Sept 18, 2025 the stock spiked ~19% as results beat the bleak prior year losses [45]. By mid-Oct, ABAT has run from the $2–3 range in early Sept up toward the high single digits – an over 300% gain in a month.

At market open Oct 13, 2025 (NASDAQ), ABAT traded around $9/share [46]. For perspective, Oct 10 close was $6.75. StocksToTrade reports support around $6–6.50 and sees resistance near $7–7.50 [47] [48]. Breaking that resistance signals strength – and indeed the stock pierced $7 late last week. In short, Wall Street’s traders have bid up ABAT in light of the new catalysts.

Importantly, ABTC’s balance sheet still shows heavy losses (negative gross margins and net losses) [49]. Its price-to-book is elevated (~9x vs mining peers ~2.4x) [50], implying the market is betting on future growth. Analysts caution it needs to convert to profitability before the valuation normalizes. As StocksToTrade notes, ABAT’s story is now “cautiously optimistic,” hinging on actual execution – but the recent “strategic partnerships and significant fiscal milestones” have laid a foundation [51].

EV Battery & Recycling Mega-Trends

The ABTC story is part of a wider battery ecosystem boom. Global EV adoption is surging: an International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast expects over 20 million EVs sold worldwide in 2025 [52] [53], representing more than a quarter of all new cars. This means soaring demand for lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other battery metals. Simultaneously, governments are pushing recycling to close the loop. For example, the EU’s battery regulations will soon require significant recycled content in new batteries (e.g. 16% cobalt, 6% lithium by 2030) and battery passports to track cells [54] [55]. Industry analysts emphasize that “robust recycling could mitigate raw material shortages” and is a hot R&D area [56].

Americas are joining the race: the U.S. is directing billions through DOE and ARPA-E into battery factories and novel storage projects, while policies clarify EV tax credits tied to battery sourcing [57] [58]. Major private investments are also underway (e.g. Toyota’s multi-billion NC gigafactory [59]). In this environment, ABTC’s integrated strategy (mining + recycling) aligns with national goals of supply security and sustainability.

Analyst Outlook & Forecast

Most experts view ABTC as high-risk/high-reward. The short-term outlook remains bullish if the company continues delivering catalysts. Technical analysts on StocksToTrade suggest any pullbacks finding support near ~$6.50 could be buying opportunities, with near-term targets above $7 [60]. They also highlight that with multiple breakthroughs (Call2Recycle, DOE grant, FAST-41 status), “All the boxes” for a strong trade setup are checked [61].

On the flip side, several factors could temper the rally. ABTC still burns cash and has a going-concern warning in its SEC filings. Its profitability hinges on scaling production and winning further projects (like commercial sale agreements or more grants). Also, broader market tech sentiment (e.g. interest rates, EV stock rotations) can create volatility.

Forecasts: No consensus Wall Street price targets exist (ABTC is an emerging company), but some “AI” price-prediction sites were saying ~$6–7 before these news – now seemingly outdated. If ABTC’s plans materialize (full-scale recycling, Tonopah mine online, more grants), analysts say it could sustain a higher valuation. Conversely, missing milestones could send it re-testing $5–6 levels. The stock’s recent 8–10% daily moves underscore the risk/reward nature.

In summary, American Battery Technology is at a pivotal juncture. The company’s strategic wins – a national recycling partnership and major federal backing – have captured investor imagination [62] [63]. With global EV demand surging [64] [65] and new regulations favoring recycling [66], ABTC sits in an industry sweet spot. Going forward, experts will watch execution closely: can ABTC turn its “promise” into production and profits? If so, the upside could justify its current enthusiasm.

Sources: Recent financial news, company releases and expert analyses have been used (see citations). Key sources include ABTC press releases [67] [68], industry news (e.g. Recycling Today [69]), stock analysis sites [70] [71], and battery industry reports [72] [73]. These provide the basis for facts and quotes above.

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References

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A technology and finance expert writing for TS2.tech. He analyzes developments in satellites, telecommunications, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on their impact on global markets. Author of industry reports and market commentary, often cited in tech and business media. Passionate about innovation and the digital economy.

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