Adelaide's Iondrive Advances Urban Mining Technology
Based Iondrive Limited has announced impressive extraction rates surpassing 90% for rare earth elements from e-waste. The company confirmed these results on 16th April 2026, following successful testwork in the United States. This breakthrough is pivotal for recycling industries targeting sustainable recovery of valuable materials.
Independent US testwork has verified a 93.8% extraction rate for neodymium and 95.1% for praseodymium from commercial feedstock. These results were achieved through third-party testwork by Kingston Process Metallurgy Inc., directed by ProProcess Engineering. Such high extraction rates not only exceed Iondrive’s earlier economic models but also bolster the commercial promise of their IONSolv™ extraction platform.
Lewis Utting, CEO of Iondrive Limited, emphasised, “These results demonstrate that IONSolv™ is delivering consistent high extraction while progressing toward a process that can be deployed at scale. We are achieving strong extraction of key rare earth elements and continue to refine the process.”
Pilot Plant Redesign in South Australia
In South Australia, Iondrive has reconfigured its battery recycling pilot plant to support a wider processing platform. Now a skid-mounted system, the plant remains in Australia, which will lower costs and enhance operational control. This redesign aligns with Iondrive’s goal of developing a modular processing model easily deployable in multiple locations, including the United States.
The redesigned plant will showcase the IONSolv™ platform’s capability to handle various feedstocks such as lithium-ion batteries, e-waste, and solar cells. This multi-feedstock strategy aims to validate the technology’s performance and scalability. Supporting multiple feedstocks under one flowsheet, Iondrive seeks to provide a versatile and efficient recycling solution.
Pilot wet commissioning is set for the fourth quarter of 2026. This timing allows for necessary system definition work prior to execution, enhancing confidence and streamlining the scale-up path. Concurrently, Iondrive collaborates with Australian company Livium to explore clean energy waste streams, highlighting their commitment to sustainable urban mining solutions.
According to the International Energy Agency, neodymium and praseodymium together account for about 96% of the rare earth elements’ global market value. Iondrive’s high extraction rates are commercially critical. These achievements not only advance the company’s shift from technology validation but also establish it as a leader in scalable rare earth element extraction.
