Lithium in lithium batteries are recyclable, and because of microstrutures formed during the use of the batteries actually make better material for new batterie

Lithium in lithium batteries are recyclable, and because of microstrutures formed during the use of the batteries actually make better material for new batteries. There's a company already recycling lithium batteries, though they have to fight against the perception that recycled lithium is not as good as newly mined lithium. There are also emerging technologies for extracting lithium from brine as a byproduct of geothermal power plants. American Public Media had produced a podcast series ("This is How We Survive") that included several episodes about this technology, and some of the patent drama that had gone with trying to control the tech.