Attero to invest ₹100 crore to scale rare earth recycling capacity

E-waste recycling company Attero plans to invest Rs 100 crore to scale up its rare earth recycling capacity to 30,000 tonnes from 300 tonnes over the next 12 to 24 months, a top official of the firm said on Thursday.

China in April imposed restrictions on exports of rare earth, a critical mineral used in manufacturing of electronic, automobile and other technology products.

Attero CEO and Co-Founder Nitin Gupta told sources that the investment is in line with demand in the market for rare earth magnets, for which industries in India and across the world like electronics, automobile etc are entirely dependent on supplies from China.

The company will focus on extraction of rare earth minerals such as Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), and Dysprosium (Dy) with over 98 per cent efficiency and 99.9 per cent purity.

These are essential to key sectors including electric vehicles, wind energy, and consumer electronics.

The government has launched the National Critical Mineral Mission in January to build a strong foundation for self-reliance in the critical mineral sector.

The initiative recognises recycling as a key strategy to secure domestic supply chains and reduce dependence on imports.

In the financial year 2025, Attero claims to have processed over 1.5 lakh  tonnes of e-waste and 15,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries annually and targeting a Y-o-Y growth of 100 per cent.

Attero has also plans to expand its footprint in Europe and the US.

The company aims to ramp up its annual e-waste processing to 4,15,000  tonnes and battery recycling to 50,000  tonnes, expanding its global capacity and furthering India's leadership in critical mineral recycling.