Aqua Metals is engaged in the business of applying its commercialized clean, water-based recycling technology principles to develop the clean and cost-efficient recycling solutions for both lead and lithium-ion (“Li”) batteries. Our recycling process is a patented hydro- and electrometallurgical technology that is a novel, proprietary and patented process we developed and named AquaRefining. AquaRefining is a low-emissions, closed-loop recycling technology that replaces polluting furnaces and hazardous chemicals with electricity-powered electroplating to recover valuable metals and materials from spent batteries with higher purity, lower emissions, and with minimal waste. The modular “Aqualyzers” cleanly generate ultra-pure metal one atom at a time, closing the sustainability loop for the rapidly growing energy storage economy.

We are in the process of demonstrating that Li AquaRefining, which is fundamentally non-polluting, can create the highest quality and highest yields of recovered minerals from lithium-ion batteries with lower waste streams and lower costs than existing alternatives. We have already demonstrated at our pilot facility our ability to recover key valuable minerals in lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium hydroxide, copper, nickel, cobalt, and other compounds in 2022. Our goal is to process commercial quantities of nickel, cobalt, and copper in a pure metal form that can be sold to the general metals and superalloy markets and can be made into battery precursor compound materials with known processes already used in the mining industry. We have installed, commissioned, and began to operate the first Li AquaRefining pilot plant at the end of 2022, scaling towards a commercial demonstration operation through 2023.

Our focus for the lead market is providing equipment and licensing of our lead acid battery recycling technologies in an enabler model which allows us to work with anyone in the industry globally and address the entire marketplace.  Our focus for the lithium market includes operating our first-of-a-kind lithium battery recycling facility, utilizing electricity to recycle instead of intensive chemical processes, fossil fuels, or high-temperature furnaces. 

Liquidity and Management Plans

The Company generated revenues of $4 thousand and $0.2 million during the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. The Company had net losses of $15.4 million and $18.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s cash balance was $7.1 million. As of the date of this report, the Company believes it will require additional capital in order to fund its current level of ongoing costs over the next twelve months and move forward with its lithium-ion battery recycling activities.