Urbix Inc., a US-based processor of battery-grade graphite, and Circulor, a leading sustainable supply chain traceability provider, announced a strategic partnership for transparency and accountability in sourcing and processing graphite that is used in advanced batteries. Urbix will utilize Circulor’s technology to track and trace its graphite as it changes state from extraction to inclusion in electric vehicles.

The companies are in ongoing conversations with mining partners to expand the partnership.

This partnership is a game-changer for the graphite industry. OEMs and battery manufacturers are increasingly expecting a higher level of transparency and traceability in the materials they utilize. By partnering with Circulor, we can certify that our graphite is ethically sourced and sustainably processed. Circulor and Urbix make the perfect partnership because we are aligned in our values and in our commitment to fundamentally transforming the battery supply chain.

—Nico Cuevas, Chairman and CEO, Urbix

Circulor provides a comprehensive and reliable method for tracking critical minerals such as graphite as they move through the battery supply chain. This partnership will provide transparency to the advanced battery supply chain, certifying that the graphite is being sourced humanely and processed in compliance with environmental, social, and governance standards.

While traceability is becoming more common in the processing and manufacturing stages, this work will go beyond other efforts to track and trace raw materials as they are processed and moved through the battery supply chain. Circulor’s technology will provide a detailed chain of custody throughout the supply chain and as the graphite changes state. This is done by tracking the composition of the graphite and its unique chemistry rather than relying on traditional methods such as shipment paperwork.

Phase one of the partnership will establish the full chain of custody and traceability. Over the long-term, the partnership will seek to expand to include graphite mines and create a network of companies that can provide traceability and accountability assurances across a larger share of the battery supply chain.